We Were Family
by Lights of the Aurora
Summary: Post-giant war. Jason is still praetor, Octavian is alive, and he knows Reyna's secret about her father. Now he is determined to expose her. Mutiny breaks out as the Legion is torn apart by the battle between the auger and the praetor. Reyna finds more friends than she knows as her officers back her up, and a particular friend determined to rebuild their broken relationship. Jeyna.
1. Accusation

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.

The ghosts were pushing at her again. Murderer, they hissed. Traitor. Reyna backed away from them, but they pulled at her. Then, one in particular caught her eye. A tall man with Reyna's eyes and Hylla's sharp, angular features. He stepped toward her. Reyna tried to run, but the ghosts behind her blocked her way. He was coming closer. You betrayed me. You are a traitor to your people, he hissed. No, Reyna tried to say. It was an accident. I didn't mean to.

Then, another face materialized. Bryce Lawrence. Well, if it isn't the little praetor turned traitor, he said with a sick smile. If Rome knew who you really were, they'd throw you out to the dogs. I know you're precious secret, praetor. I heard your confession. The ghosts crowded around her, pushing her back. She was trapped. Reyna tried to scream—

"Reyna, wake up!"

Reyna's eyes flew open. She was lying with her head on a table in the Principia, and Nico di Angelo was standing over her, shaking her shoulder.

"You okay?" Nico looked concerned.

Reyna's heart pounded. Her breaths came in gasps. She jerked her head up, nearly knocking over her cup of coffee. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her heartbeat. It was just a dream, she told herself. It wasn't real. Bryce Lawrence was dead.

Reyna looked around, taking in her surroundings. Then she remembered where she was. Octavian had just piled a load of paperwork from the war on her, and Nico had been helping out with Greek-Roman relationships by staying in Camp Jupiter for a few days, and retaking his place as the Ambassador of Pluto in the Senate.

"You fell asleep, and I figured you could use some rest, so I didn't wake you up. Are you alright?" he repeated, slightly more urgently.

"Fine," Reyna said, the word leaving her mouth automatically. "Just a bad dream."

"You were muttering in your sleep," Nico said quietly. "Something about, 'I didn't mean to." his eyes narrowed, as if trying to decipher what she was thinking.

Reyna looked at him sharply. She wondered just how much he had heard. After a while, she relaxed. She could trust Nico. He had heard her secret back in Puerto Rico.

"I was dreaming about that time we landed in Puerto Rico when we were delivering the Athena Parthenos."

"Hey. It was just a dream." Nico put a hand on her shoulder, his frown deepening.

"Bryce Lawrence was there," Reyna said in a low voice. "He threatened to tell everyone about what I did."

"Bryce Lawrence is dead," Nico said. "He can't hurt you anymore. None of them can."

Reyna's heartbeat slowed, but her panic did not leave her. "I see them. Every night. Ever since the time we landed in Puerto Rico. I can't get it out of my head. All I can think of is how my secret almost came out," Reyna's voice shook. "And he's always there. My father. He's yelling at me, and throwing stuff, like he used to, before I—before I killed him."

"You didn't kill him," Nico said firmly. "He was already a ghost. A mania. You dispelled a spirit, and did both you and your sister a favor."

"I killed him. I ran a sword through my father." Reyna had a broken look in her eyes, one Nico had only ever seen once before.

"You didn't mean to kill him," said Nico, sounding unusually gentle.

They were silent for a minute, and then Reyna's eyes landed on the pile of paperwork on the table. Shaking her hair out of her eyes, she straightened. "This is pointless. We're wasting time. We've got work to do, remember?"

Still looking worried, Nico hesitantly took a seat beside her.

For the next twenty minutes, Reyna and Nico sifted through the paperwork, occasionally exchanging a few words. Most of their time was spent in silence. As they worked, Nico observed Reyna. She sat with her back straight and her head lowered, her dark hair in a tight braid. However, she had shadows under her eyes that those would didn't know her would mistake as a result of the lighting. But Nico knew they were dark circles from sleepless nights staying up in the Principia to finish paperwork that no one else would do. Nico liked Reyna and respected her. She had proven herself to be the bravest person he ever knew time and time again. But the main reason he considered her a close friend was because they understood each other. Both of them had dark secrets that they had kept all their lives. Both of them understood wanting to be alone. They shared a mutual fear of letting people in. But most of all, they trusted each other with their secrets.

The minutes ticked by as Nico sat there, lost in thought. The hands on the old Roman clocker moved by. By the time they were finished, it was noon already, and Reyna and Nico both stood up to leave.

"I should be heading back to Camp Half-Blood by now," Nico said. "See you next time?"

Reyna nodded distractedly. Seeing that her mind was still in the paperwork, Nico left. Just as Reyna was turning to go, she felt a chill down her spine, as if she was being watched, and her old instincts awakened again. She whipped around, hand on her weapon. Long ago, Lupa had taught her vigilance. Upon seeing nothing, Reyna shook the feeling off, dismissing it as paranoia. She headed for her villa.

* * *

By the time Reyna had finished most of her paperwork that day, it was afternoon, and she was just heading out of her villa to check up on the barracks.

"Hey. Reyna!"

Reyna turned. Beside her, Ethan from the fourth cohort was panting after catching up to her.

"Octavian called a Senate meeting," Ethan said, still catching his breath.

Reyna raised her eyebrows. "What for?"

"I don't know, but it can't be good. Better hurry, Reyna. It starts now." Ethan set off at a run toward the Principia. Cursing, Reyna ran after him.

When they reached the Principia, Octavian was the first to greet her. "Praetor." The word was clipped. "You're late."

"Octavian. You called?" Reyna raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes. I believe I have some interesting news to share with the Senate." Octavian stood at the head of the Senate table, a dangerously triumphant smile on his face. Michael Kahale and Leila Rivers stood on either side of him, both of them looking reluctant and refusing to meet Reyna's eyes. The centurions fanned out behind them. Jason, Reyna noticed, sat in the praetor's seat. He had decided to keep his position as praetor, and was now acting as a diplomat between the two camps.

"Officers Kahale and Rivers," Octavian said, a sick smile curling his lips, "Arrest Praetor Reyna."

Reyna's expression was one of shock and anger. "On what grounds?" she demanded.

"Patricide."

Reyna felt the word like a punch, knocking the wind out of her at once. She felt her heart freeze. Struggling to keep her expression neutral, she steadied her voice and spoke. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please." Octavian sneered. "Save the innocent act for someone who cares. For a girl with lie-detecting dogs, you're surprising bad at fooling people yourself."

"Patricide?" Gwen stood up. After the war, she had decided to return to the Legion as centurion of the fifth cohort. "Octavian, you're out of your mind." Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the Principia.

"Really? Is that so? Because I happen to have heard a confession from the praetor herself."

Gwen fell silent, and a hush spread across the entire room. The eyes of the Senators bounced between her and Octavian, as if watching a particularly exciting game of Ping-Pong. Reyna prayed nobody could hear her heart pounding.

Reyna's heart raced. How could Octavian have found out? No one, not even Jason, knew her secret. Except for Nico di Angelo, of course. But he had sworn not to tell anyone, and she trusted him. Bryce Lawrence had been the only one to hear her confession, and he was dead. But how he found out didn't matter anymore. What mattered was what she was going to do about Octavian. She could accuse him of treason and war crimes, but knowing Octavian, he would probably find a way to wriggle out of it. But there was no escaping patricide. She had killed her father, accident or no accident. And she knew the punishment.

Jason stepped in front of her. "Back off, Octavian." Reyna felt a spark of anger that he of all people was defending her. Jason's hand was in his pocket, and Reyna knew him well enough to know that he was already fingering Ivlivs, just itching to pull it out on Octavian.

"Ah, I see the Greek traitor has decided to show his face," Octavian sneered. "Tell me, Praetor Grace, what made you decide to leave your precious Greek camp and return here?"

Murmurs rippled through the Principia.

"Silence!" Reyna said, raising her voice. Immediately, the voices quieted and all eyes were on her. "Octavian, you have no evidence against me."

"Actually, Praetor, multiple witnesses heard the conversation between you and Mr. Di Angelo this morning, myself included," Octavian said, the sadistic smile returning to his face.

Reyna's shock registered on her face. Octavian had been spying on her? As she recalled all the private things she had mentioned in that conversation, she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. Then, cold, hard anger replaced it. Octavian certainly acted fast. The conversation had taken place only a few hours ago.

"As you see, Praetor, I have eyes and ears everywhere. And all of these witnesses can be depended on to testify against you, should it come to that. But you could save us a lot of trouble and yourself much embarrassment by simply confessing."

"No." Her reply rang loud and clear across the Principia, and she lifted her chin to meet Octavian's gaze. "It's going to take a lot more than that, Octavian."

A few of the centurions looked visibly relieved. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small smile on Jason's face.

"I am sure of that, Praetor," said Octavian, taking a step closer to her so that their faces were inches apart. His pale eyes held a promise, and it was all Reyna could do not to step back. Instead, she turned on her heel and marched out of the Principia, all too aware of the eyes on her.

Outside, she leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. With her back still to the wall, she slid into a sitting position, her heart still racing. Octavian was going to tell everyone. She had known it the moment she looked into his pale, dead eyes. Reyna was scared. What was going to happen to her? She doubted Octavian would really have her executed, and she had enough sense to know that the Senate would never allow that. But still, she felt a chill of fear remembering the look in his eyes. Octavian was the master of sneaking around and underhanded trickery. All it would take was a little digging into her past, and he could expose everything. Everything. Not just about her father's death, but about his insanity, their time on Circe's island, and Blackbeard's pirate ship…

She thought about the looks on her friends' faces when they heard Octavian's accusation. How many of them would stand beside her? She remembered the look of shock on Dakota's face as she walked out of the Principia. And Gwen, sweet-tempered Gwen, who could always make her feel better, staring at Reyna as if she had never met her before.

Sighing, she stood up. Inside, she could still hear Octavian's voice droning on and on, occasionally punctuated by angry interruptions from the other Senators. Sitting here thinking wasn't going to help her. And besides, she had work to do. Stacks of paperwork from the war were still piled up in her praetor's villa. She hadn't even begun looking through most of them. She could afford to think about all this later.

She walked slowly back to the Principia, trying to avoid as many people as possible. The news would undoubtedly spread quickly. As she absent-mindedly traced the silver ring on her hand, Reyna began going over exchange programs for the two camps again. Anything to distract herself from her current predicament.

"Reyna!"

Reyna turned around. It was Dakota, running after her. Octavian's meeting must have just ended. Reyna quickened her pace. She was in no mood to face Dakota today.

"Reyna, wait!" Coming up beside her, Dakota grabbed her arm, pulling her around to face him. Behind him, Gwen and Bobby could be seen, jogging to catch up with them. Gwen gestured to Dakota, like, _just get on with it, Dakota._ Dakota pulled her aside, lowering his voice. "Reyna, what's going on? What the Pluto was Octavian talking about?"

"Nothing," Reyna lied. "I've got it handled." By then, Gwen and Bobby had caught up with them.

Dakota snorted. "Clearly."

Gwen and Bobby fell into step with them.

"Where's Jason?" Dakota asked, looking around. "I thought he was right behind you."

"He had some stuff to handle," said Bobby vaguely.

Of course he did, thought Reyna dryly.

"He always has some stuff to handle," Gwen snapped angrily. "Isn't his best friend more important?"

Dakota raised his eyebrows. Gwen usually defended Jason.

Dakota turned his attention back to Reyna. "But back to what we were talking about. Reyna, what the Pluto was Octavian talking about, and why didn't you defend yourself?"

"I told you, it's nothing," Reyna said, turning away from them. "I've got everything under control."

"Under control?" Dakota raised his eyebrows. Gwen elbowed him.

"Reyna, look, I don't need any answers right now," Gwen said gently. "Octavian's a liar and a snake. We'll back you up no matter what."

Reyna shook her head. If Gwen, if any of them, knew the truth behind Octavian's accusation, she doubted they would still back her up. "Get back to training, you guys. I can handle it."

Gwen shook her head. "Come on, Reyna, this concerns us too."

"No, it doesn't," Reyna snapped. She really couldn't deal with this right now. She hardened her voice. "Why are you here? You all have duties."

"You know the answer to that, Reyna," said Bobby. "You're our friend."

"But I am also your praetor, and I order you to return to your duties," Reyna said, staring them down.

Turning to each other, Bobby, Gwen, and Dakota seemed to reach some sort of silent agreement. One by one, three of them turned and left, each trailing after the other. Reyna relaxed visibly after they were out of her sight. Gwen was right. She needed help. Reyna knew she should be able to trust her friends, but trust didn't come naturally to her. Would they still stand by her after they found out her darkest secrets? She didn't want to find out. Right now, she couldn't think of herself. She had plenty of time to build a case against Octavian. Patricide or no patricide, she was still praetor, and praetorship duties piled before her like the stacks of paperwork in the Principia. She decided to head back to her villa.

* * *

Jason's mind raced as he walked out of the Principia. Patricide? It was impossible, but he remembered the look of fear on Reyna's face. He had seen it all too often, when she was desperately hiding something. And Reyna hadn't defended herself. She hadn't called out Octavian's lie. Jason reached into his memory, trying to grasp any information about Reyna's father. Reyna had only spoken to him about her father once, and it had been in short, clipped terms, as if describing a portrait or a piece of furniture.

Dakota, Bobby, and Gwen came up to him, clearly intending to follow Reyna. In his heart, he knew he should follow them, but he was probably the last person Reyna wanted to see right now. Besides, he had a bigger concern. If what Octavian said was true, then Reyna was in big trouble. They all knew the punishment for patricide.

Just then, Jason remembered something Octavian had said. Multiple witnesses heard the conversation between you and Mr. Di Angelo. Nico. He knew what Reyna was hiding. Mumbling a quick excuse to Bobby, Jason set off at a run toward the fountain in the Garden of Bacchus.

When he arrived, Jason fumbled in his pockets for drachma. His fingers found the last one, and he tossed it into the fountain. "Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept this offering. Show me Nico di Angelo at…" Jason trailed off. He had no idea where Nico was. "…Camp Half-Blood?" It ended in a question. Jason figured it was a pretty safe guess.

An image appeared. Nico was sitting on his bed in the Hades cabin. He jumped up when he saw the Iris-Message. "Jason! What's the matter?"

"Reyna's in trouble." Jason calculated his words carefully.

Nico frowned, instantly alert. "What do you mean?"

"Octavian's accused her of patricide. I know Reyna told you. I need to know what you know, right now."

Nico hesitated. "Jason, I promised Reyna I would never repeat what she told me to anyone else. She trusted me and—"

"Reyna needs help, okay? The punishment in Rome for patricide is execution. Look, I know you care about her, okay? But right now, the best thing you can do is tell us what you know."

Nico shook his head. "I can't. You'll have to ask Reyna."

"I'm the last person she would tell!" Jason was shouting now. "Octavian is building a case against her as we speak. We have to do something!"

"Jason, calm down. We're going to help her. Look, you go find Reyna, and I'll get to Camp Jupiter as fast as I can, okay?"

Jason nodded. "Okay."

"Good. See you soon." Nico swiped his hand through the Iris-message, disconnecting it.

As Jason headed back toward the Principia, he saw Bobby, Gwen, and Dakota standing at the entrance. Cursing, Jason ran up to them.

Gwen saw him first, and her face turned into a frown. "Where have you been?"

Jason sighed. "I was...looking for some answers. Where's Reyna?"

"Probably at her villa." Dakota gestured in the direction of the praetor villas.

"Okay. You guys should report back to your duties before someone notices you're gone."

"What are you going to do?" asked Dakota.

"I'm going to have a little chat with Octavian."

 **Author's Note:**

 **So, did you like it? Should I continue it? I'm already starting on the next chapter. Please review and tell me your thoughts.**


	2. Arrival

Jason stormed out of the Garden of Bacchus, almost running headlong into a new recruit. After muttering a quick apology, he headed for Octavian's temple, where he knew he would find him.

"Ah. Praetor," Octavian greeted him. "What can I do for you?"

Jason grabbed Octavian by the collar and slammed him against the wall of the temple. "What the Pluto did you do, Octavian?"

Fear flashed in Octavian's pale eyes, before being replaced by a malevolent sneer. "I merely told the people the truth about their praetor."

"The truth? Look, I don't know what you heard, but Reyna is a good person—"

"She is a traitor to her people, like you. A Roman turned _Greek._ "

"She's more Roman than you are," Jason snarled. "What do you want? Power? Revenge? Or do you just take pleasure in other people's suffering?"

"I want to expose Reyna for who she really is," Octavian hissed. "The people have a right to know what their praetor has done."

"Oh, save your self-righteous act for someone who cares. We both know you just want to blackmail and bribe your way to the top of the pack."

"Well it seems like you've just answered your own question," Octavian said, sneering.

"Whatever you want, leave her alone, and take it out on me," Jason said, gritting his teeth.

Octavian's smile widened. "You can't protect your precious Reyna. No one can. By the time I'm done with her, the entire Legion will be calling for her head."

Jason felt a rush of anger. "Reyna is the most respected person in this camp. No one's going to believe that she murdered her father."

"Really. Is that so?" Octavian's eyes bored into his, his voice holding a dangerous amount of confidence despite the fact that he was currently being pinned to a wall. "Do you really know her as well as you think? Did you know that she used to work for the witch Circe, and lead innocent men to their demise? Did you know that she slit a pirate's throat and kicked him off a masthead when she was twelve? You have no idea the kind of skeletons she has in her closet."

 _Circe?_ What the Pluto was Octavian talking about? Jason's hold slackened. Octavian was just playing games with him again. "Look, I don't need to know exactly what happened. All I know is, Reyna's my friend, and no one threatens my friends." Jason had meant to sound intimidating, but Octavian's words still lingered in his mind. _Do you really know her as well as you think?_ Reyna had never mentioned anything about pirates or Circe. Then again, she had barely mentioned anything about her past during the four years of their friendship. He needed to find out what she was hiding.

* * *

During the rest of the day, Reyna didn't leave her villa. By now, the news of Octavian's accusation would have spread. Maybe hiding in her villa wasn't very Roman, but she wasn't ready to face the whispers and stares from her officers yet. What would they say? Would they still look at her the same way, after finding out what she had done?

Suddenly needing to go somewhere, Reyna stood up and went to her window. No one was outside. Reyna grabbed her sword from the hook on the door and stepped outside, shutting the door behind her. The cold wind whipped her loose braid around, stinging her eyes. Reyna started to run, past the barracks, past the field of Mars. She had no idea where she was going, just that she needed to get out. People turned around as she passed them, following her with their eyes. Reyna didn't care.

It wasn't until she had reached her destination that she realized where her feet had taken her. To the top of the hill, in the Garden of Bacchus, where she could see the entire camp. Panting, she sat down on the edge of the fountain, the droplets of watering occasionally landing on her back. She listened to the splash of water behind her, feeling a sense of calm. Her breathing slowed, and Reyna pushed her hair out of her eyes. What was she doing here? _Stupid._ Running around Camp like a crazy person right now was stupid. There was already enough speculation about her. She didn't need to add to the rumors.

"Praetor. I thought I'd find you here."

Reyna jumped. She whirled around, hand on her sword instantly, almost impaling Octavian with her sword. She lowered her blade when she realized who it was.

"Octavian. What do you want?"

"Just to see you, praetor. And to offer you a chance."

"A chance for what?" Reyna snapped.

She felt as if Octavian were invading some personal space in her heart. The Garden of Bacchus had always been her special place. Someplace she would go to when the war and the camp politics became too much for her. A place where she could escape from Octavian and all the unrest he stirred up.

"A chance to confess. Save yourself the embarrassment of going through a Roman trial."

Reyna summoned a snort. "If you think I'm actually going to do that, then you must be crazier than usual, Octavian."

"Praetor, I'd simply like to point out that there is no escaping a public trial before the Senate and the people of Rome. You will be convicted, and you will be sentenced by Roman law." Octavian's lips curled into a smile. "You can't run from your past anymore." He took a step closer. "I've done a little digging into your past since hearing your confession, Reyna. And I must say, I haven't been disappointed by the results."

Reyna felt her heart go cold. What exactly did Octavian know? _He's only bluffing,_ she told herself. He didn't know anything. "You don't have any evidence against me. Only witnesses that can be bribed or blackmailed into lying for you."

"Not yet, Praetor. Not yet. But I'll find some soon. You're a traitor to Rome, Reyna."

Reyna felt a blaze of anger. "You are the traitor. You tried to wage war on Camp Half-Blood. You disobeyed my direct orders. I should've had you executed the moment I returned. But there's still time for that." Rage fueled her words as she recalled the army marching on Camp Half-Blood, Octavian at the head.

"You can't touch me. You see, unlike you, I come from a long line of loyal soldiers of Rome. My family's many influential friends will support my charge against you. Mark my words, Praetor. I will take away what you value the most." Octavian leaned closer to her, his eyes boring into hers.

 _What she valued the most._ For a moment, Reyna was confused. What did she value the most? Her friends? Her work? She felt a sudden chill of fear. Octavian never broke his promises.

Feeling sick suddenly, Reyna turned away from Octavian and looked out over the camp from her position at the top of the hill. She felt a swell of pride as she took in the new recruits training in the field of Mars, the cohorts moving in unison, and the faraway people of New Rome going about their daily business. She always felt a certain peace, standing here at the highest point of the Garden of Bacchus, overlooking the camp. It didn't matter what Octavian did to her. He could never take this away from her. She had built this. In her years as praetor, she had built Camp Jupiter up into the strongest army of demigods in a thousand years.

She looked back into Octavian's pale eyes, and suddenly, she realized what he was going to do. Camp Jupiter, her legionnaires, her praetorship…they were everything to her. Her best memories, her closest friends, and the best times of her life had been here. Banishment. He was going to exile her. Suddenly, Reyna felt her legs grow weak. On countless quests and battles, she had faced down certain death with an iron will, but now, the thought of banishment was enough to pull the earth out from under her. Her life revolved around her camp. She was nothing without it.

Octavian's smile widened, and he turned and left her, standing next to the statue of Bacchus, her hands on the edge of the fountain to steady herself, and feeling as if the ground under her feet had been yanked away.

After standing there for a few seconds, Reyna pulled herself back to reality and started off back to her villa. Above her, clouds were beginning to turn gray, as if the sky itself could sense her bad mood. The air grew colder, and wrapping her arms around herself, Reyna quickly headed down the hill, hoping she wouldn't run into anyone else.

No such luck. Five minutes later, Frank and Hazel accosted her as she was crossing the Field of Mars, both of them looking relieved to find her. Clearly, they had heard about Octavian's trial.

"We heard Octavian was planning to have you exiled." Frank said, panic written in his eyes.

Bracing herself, Reyna turned to face him. "Well, word certainly spreads quickly."

"Reyna, it's not true, right?" Hazel's worried eyes searched Reyna's face, and Reyna suddenly found herself unable to lie.

"It is, as far as I know."

"Octavian's gone insane!" Hazel said with unusual ferocity, her usually mild expression suddenly angry.

After blinking at Hazel in surprise, Frank quickly nodded in agreement. "Does he really think the Senate will agree to that? Most of them have served under you for years."

"I trust my Senators, but it's more complicated than that. Octavian wouldn't have made a move unless he was confident he had already swayed some of them to his side. Not all my Senators agree with me. Plenty of them would like to see me removed from praetorship."

Shaking his head, Frank began pacing. "I read up on Roman Law when I heard about Octavian's trial. There have been some new changes. Officers who have served for years in the legion and fought for Rome can be pardoned for their crimes if the Senate agrees. And beides, patricide? Anyone who knows you knows that there is no way that could be true."

Reyna felt a pang in her chest at Frank's casual assumption of her innocence. If he knew what she had done, if any of them knew…

Hazel interrupted her thoughts. "If Octavian is crazy enough to actually demand a trial, what are you going to do?"

Reyna sighed. "I don't know. He already has a lot of people on his side. Mainly his pack of anti-Greeks, who have wanted me gone since the moment I was elected."

"Well I don't care how many people he has on his side," Frank said angrily. " _I'm_ not going to be bullied into backing him."

"That goes without saying," said Hazel, nodding. "I've done some research into Roman Law too. There is no way you could be convicted. First of all, you're the most respected praetor since the time of Napoleon. And besides, he doesn't have any evidence except a few witnesses who can't prove anything. If need be, I think we have enough grounds to build a case against _him_ for war crimes."

"We?" Reyna raised her eyebrows.

Hazel blushed. "That is, if you want our help."

Reyna took a look at the pair. Both of them looked desperately hopeful and worried at the same time. Clearly, they wanted to help, but Reyna couldn't judge the advisability of involving even more people in her already very public trial.

"Thank you, Hazel, but I wouldn't want to bring you into this mess."

Looking disappointed, Hazel nodded. "We understand."

The sky above was beginning to darken, black thunderclouds closing in. It looked like a storm was coming. Reyna wondered vaguely what had caused Jupiter's annoyance this time. Maybe he was just having a bad day. Well, he wasn't the only one. The air grew colder, and Reyna shivered, wishing she had brought her cloak.

"You two should head back to the barracks."

Frank and Hazel left. As she watched their retreating backs, Reyna wondered how this odd couple had come to be. Shy, mild-voiced Hazel and big, stumbling Frank. She watched as Frank put an arm around Hazel, pulling her closer to him. Camp Jupiter had fraternization rules for the legionnaires, but most of the time, nobody bothered to enforce them.

The air around her was getting colder. Reyna decided to head back to her villa. By now, raindrops were starting to fall around her, scattering on the dirt road ahead of her. Mentally, Reyna made a note to have more roads paved after the post-war rebuilding was finished.

For the rest of the afternoon, Reyna looked over rebuilding plans and signed them, one by one. By the time she thought to look at the clock, night had fallen, and it was storming outside. Suddenly realizing she was hungry, Reyna decided to head to the Forum and see if there were any leftovers from dinner.

She didn't have an umbrella, and by then, rain was pouring down by the bucketful. Sighing, Reyna grabbed her coat and pulled it on. It was sure to be freezing out. As soon as she stepped outside, she regretted it. The rain quickly soaked through her coat, and she didn't even have a hood. Gritting her teeth, Reyna set off to the Forum at a fast pace. She passed the barracks and the Little Tiber, the dirt road ahead of her quickly turning to mud. Around her, the darkness and rain made it impossible to see less than a few feet in front of her. As she hurried down the familiar road, she shivered and pulled her coat around herself tighter.

A streak of lightning illuminated the building ahead of her for a moment, but Reyna didn't need the light to know that the towering white columns marked the Principia.

As she neared it, Reyna was surprised to see lights on inside. Frowning, she changed directions and broke into a run. When she got there, Reyna pushed open the heavy doors to see…Jason, Nico, Percy, Annabeth, Leo, and Piper standing inside, all of them shaking the rain out of their clothes.

Reyna blinked in surprise, her eyes slowly adjusting to the light.

"Reyna, hey!" Percy said, grinning. "Been a long time."

"Percy," Annabeth said, elbowing him. "It's only been two weeks."

"Can't I be happy to see her again?"

Reyna finally found her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, we all heard about Octavian…" Percy trailed off. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"And we came to give you some moral support," Piper supplied smoothly.

Percy nodded gratefully. "Yeah, moral support. We just arrived about ten minutes ago. Nice weather around here." Outside, thunder boomed again.

"Reyna!" Leo's face broke into a grin. "You look half-drowned."

Reyna raised her eyebrow. Only Leo could say something like that and not be afraid of being impaled by her sword. "What are you doing here, Valdez? Shouldn't you be in Cabin Eight doing repairs?"

"It's good to see you too." Leo's bright smiled never wavered.

"You told them about this?" Reyna asked Jason, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually no, Nico told us. I can't believe Octavian's trying to stir up even more trouble when the war's just ended," Percy said, shaking his head.

"It's Octavian. He doesn't care about war. He's probably choosing right now because of all the confusion about the praetorship. Trying to take over in case of a power vacuum." After the war ended, there had been a lot of confusion after Percy resigned from praetorship, with people demanding candidates or new elections until Frank finally stepped down for Jason. After that, people had generally quieted down, most of them satisfied with their old praetors back, with the exception of Octavian and a few others in the first and third cohorts. "You didn't all have to come all the way here."

"Are you kidding?" Percy shook his head. "Honestly, Reyna, I thought we'd been friends too long for this."

"So how have things been going?" Leo asked, plopping himself down in a chair. "I heard you did some rebuilding in New Rome after—er, well…" Leo trailed off, face reddening.

"Things are great," Reyna said, covering up the uncomfortable silence. "Rebuilding is going fine. How are things at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Excellent. Lots of people are interested in the new Greek-Roman alliance, and we didn't take too much damage in the war" Percy said cheerily. "But back to your problem. If Octavian is serious, my guess is, you're going to need a lot more than moral support."

Piper interjected. "Of course, going up against Octavian won't be easy, but you can bet we intend to kick his _podex._ "

Reyna felt her heart tighten as Jason and Piper exchanged a grin, and Jason put an arm around her. "That's the spirit."

Reyna forced herself to look away as he steered Piper away toward a corner, whispering something in her ear. She turned around a caught Annabeth looking at her with a sad, knowing smile. The five other demigods then began to settle around the long Senate table, Reyna sitting at her usual position at the head of the table.

Percy leaned back in his chair, digging in his backpack. He pulled out a couple cokes and tossed one to everyone around the table.

"So, about this trial," Annabeth began, "is Octavian serious? He has everything he needs to convict you? I've been hearing a lot of rumors since I got here, and I just want sort out what's real."

Quickly, Reyna outlined the case for her, and the others leaned in, occasionally making suggestions. They chattered away, asking about the details of the case and when it was happening, occasionally slipping in unflattering comments about Octavian. They laughed and joked about the ridiculousness of Octavian's case, as if taking her innocence for granted. However, once in a while, Reyna would turn to see Percy, Annabeth, Piper, or one of the others glancing her whenever Octavian's accusation was mentioned, as if trying to judge just how much truth was in his statement.

Nico di Angelo alone did not throw her a single questioning glance or apprehensive expression. She knew he was partially responsible for the large gathering of people helping her build her case while not having divulged her secret, and for that, Reyna was truly grateful to him. She looked over at the boy bending over Latin law books, and felt a wave of gratitude rush over her.

Absent-mindedly, she flipped open a book Annabeth had brought, skimming over the words and tuning out the scraps of conversation still going on.

In most crimes in the Legion, punishment was swift and simple, following a basic set of rules known as the _Legion Fulminata_ Code, more commonly referred to as the Pomeranian Code. Most of the time, the centurions carried out punishments, while for bigger crimes, the praetors decided what to do. But for an accusation as serious as this, a public trial before the Senate and the people of Rome would be inescapable. Octavian would no doubt take joy in exposing every little detail of the trial to the public of Rome. In her time, Reyna had seen a few public trials, two of which had happened while she was praetor. Both of them had been for treason to the Legion during the war, and one had been executed and the other banished.

She remembered a few years ago, when Bryce Lawrence had been accused of killing his centurion. Typically, this would have resulted in a public trial, but Bryce's family, who had a lot of money and power, had demanded a private trial, and Reyna and Jason had been unable to refuse them. Reyna knew the basic process of a Roman trial, which was not so different from a modern one. Arrest, charge, trial, and sentence. In the trial, the Senators would act as a jury. There were also a lot of complicated events like arraignments and preliminary hearings. The legion typically simplified these things, but Reyna had a feeling Octavian would demand a full trial.

In a typical Roman trial, a _judex_ , normally the praetors, would determine the final outcome of the case, but if a trial were to be fully impartial, then Jason would not be allowed to act as _judex_ , and only the Senators would vote on the verdict. Dakota and Gwen would side with her, certainly. She wasn't so sure about the other centurions. Marcus from the third cohort was a trusted comrade. He and Nathan from the fourth cohort had been part of the first wave to storm Mount Tam. Michael Kahale from the first was a good soldier, and Reyna had always liked him, but the problem was, he was a loyal friend of Octavian's.

Reyna felt a movement beside her, and turning her head, she saw Jason slide into the praetor's seat beside her with a file in his hand. Octavian's formal accusation, with the seal of Rome stamped on the bottom. Reyna recognized Jason's signature beside the dark red praetors' seal.

Jason grimaced. "He handed it in this afternoon. I had no choice but to sign it."

Reyna barely nodded in acknowledgement. She opened the file, her eyes flitting over Octavian's neat handwriting. _Charges of patricide_ … _witnessed confirming the confession taking place …_ blah blah blah.

She felt Jason's hand on her arm. "Hey, the guys—" he gestured at the demigods sitting before them, "were planning to have a little party in the Principia tonight, you know, since we all haven't seen each other in a while. You wanna come?"

Reyna hesitated. How long had it been since she last went to a celebration? "I can't. I have to finish the piles of paperwork my gentlemanly partner so graciously dumped on me," Reyna said sarcastically.

A half-grin flickered on Jason's face before disappearing. "Sorry. I've just been so busy with the Camp exchange programs and building all those shrines I promised to the minors gods."

"I'm sure you've been busy," Reyna said.

Jason got up. "Well, I should probably leave you to it. I already went through the file."

Sighing, Reyna returned her eyes to the file. Reyna had to admit, Octavian could make a convincing case. The file was organized in a logical way, with detailed quoting of the confession—Reyna was surprised at the accuracy of Octavian's memory—and the charges clearly stated at the top.

Below Octavian's handwriting were the signatures of four other witnesses, one of them, Reyna recognized, a former centurion. Reyna fingered the thin, white paper, neatly held together with a paper clip.

"Reyna."

Reyna jumped. Nico had somehow come up from behind her. His face looked serious, and Reyna knew what he was going to say before he spoke.

"When are you planning to tell them?" Nico lowered his voice, careful that no one else would overhear them.

Reyna knew what he meant, but made no reply.

"Reyna, you know that they're bound to find out, right? Better that you tell them now than for them to hear it from Octavian." Nico looked at her, waiting for an answer.

In truth, Reyna had been hoping to avoid this conversation. "They don't have to. If I can disprove Octavian's evidence, then no one needs to find out." Reyna turned to look at him, urgency in her voice. "Nico, you know what happens if the truth comes out. Right now, I can't afford to trust anybody."

"Not even your friends? If you want to win this case, Reyna, you can't do it alone—"

Reyna started to cut him off.

"—like you do with everything," Nico finished. Reyna fell silent.

"Look, I won't say anything if you don't want me to," Nico said. "But you have to decide who you're going to trust, because, believe me, you can't do this one alone."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **There wasn't a lot of Jeyna in this chapter, but don't worry, I'll write more in the next one. I'm also thinking about adding a meeting between Aphrodite/Venus and Reyna, just to stir up some more trouble. What do you guys think? Leave a review!**


	3. Stand By You

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson.**

It was ten o'clock, and Reyna was alone in the Principia with Jason. The others had gone to have a sort of post-war reunion party with a couple of cokes in Jason's villa, leaving the two praetors alone with a pile of paperwork to read through.

Twirling a pen in his fingers, Jason looked over at Reyna. She had a pen tucked behind her ear and a slight frown on her face, clearly lost in her own world of paperwork and politics. Strands of dark hair fell from her braid, framing her face.

"Octavian just piled another load of paperwork on me. You take the Camp Half-Blood alliance and exchange programs, and I'll take care of the files on the destruction of property during the war, okay?" Reyna said, handing him a stack of paper.

"Sure." Jason took a seat next to her. It seemed like a million years ago, when they sat in the Principia together, night after night, delegating paperwork, cursing Octavian, making plans for war, and generally unloading themselves to each other. When they stayed up deep into the night, Jason would usually bring two cups of coffee, and Reyna would already be waiting there, with the paperwork sorted into two piles.

Now that they were finally alone, Jason spoke what he had been wanting to say all afternoon. "Reyna, I think Octavian's been doing some poking around into your past."

Reyna's head snapped up. "How so?" she asked carefully.

"Well, a while ago, when I went to…um…confront him, he mentioned something about Circe's island and pirates." Jason studied Reyna's face closely.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth half-opened, before she snapped it shut quickly. "What did he say, exactly?"

"Nothing much," Jason said, watching her reaction carefully. "But I got the sense that he knew more than he was letting on."

Reyna nodded, fighting to keep her expression neutral. "I see. Why exactly were you talking to Octavian anyway?"

"To teach that little jerk a lesson. Nobody threatens my friends, especially not a stupid, teddy bear-killing scarecrow."

Reyna felt an involuntary laugh make its way out of her. Surprised, Jason grinned and tilted back his chair, an old habit Reyna had frequently warned him about.

Halfheartedly, Reyna scanned over another complaint from Octavian.

"Honestly, sometimes I wish I could shock some sense into him," Jason joked, leaning over to read Octavian's complaint from over Reyna's shoulder. She could feel his light breath on her neck. Reyna felt her whole body freeze. Her heartbeat quickened. Mentally, she cursed herself.

Then, the moment broke. Jason returned to his original position, and Reyna relaxed, the tension leaving her body.

"We've had some requests from both camps for a formal post-war celebration between the two camps," Jason said, lifting another piece of paper off the stack. "Camp Jupiter has offered to host it, you know, since we almost burned their camp to the ground. What do you think?"

"I don't see why not," Reyna said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We should set a formal date before Percy and the others head back. Maybe in about two or so weeks? That should give us enough time to prepare a feast."

"So soon?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Frowning, Reyna asked, "Why not?"

Jason leaned forward, his eyes turning serious. "I've been receiving complaints from some of the senior citizens of New Rome about anti-Greek protests. Apparently, they grew, after you formally announced the alliance. I think we should wait for them to quiet down."

"Protests?" Reyna felt a shock. "Why haven't I heard anything about it?"

Jason shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I was going to tell you, but I figured you had enough on your plate without adding uprisings to it."

" _Uprisings?_ "

Realizing his less than reassuring word choice, Jason hurried to correct himself, but Reyna cut him off.

"Jason Grace, you tell me right now exactly what's going on."

Jason sighed. "A group of citizens gathered and started demanding re-elections. They don't want you to lead anymore."

Reyna's voice was dangerous. "And when were you planning to tell me this?"

"Like I said, we didn't want to worry you," Jason said apologetically. "And it's not like angry protestors are anything new."

"We?" Reyna raised an eyebrow.

"The other Senators."

The Senators had known about this? Suddenly, Reyna remembered how the paperwork piled on her desk each morning had seemed to lessen lately, and how half the Centurions had started working through dinner and curfew. The other Centurions had been dividing her extra work among themselves. Before Reyna had enough time to fully digest this information, Jason continued.

"That's why I've been so busy lately. I've been settling the protests that have been popping up all over New Rome. Last week, they set a Greek flag on fire and hung it in front of the Senate House."

Reyna had heard about that, but she had assumed it to be the work of a few angry people, not one in a chain of protests.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Jason looked surprised.

"I assumed you were ignoring your responsibilities as praetor. I didn't know…" Reyne trailed off, shaking her head.

"You were right," Jason said quietly. "I remembered my responsibilities as praetor, but not mine as your friend. I've been so busy with the war lately that I've forgotten that there are people back home who need me. Look, I know I haven't been around these past few months, and I'm sorry for that." Jason hesitated, trying to phrase his words. "Reyna, just…if you need anything, I'm here, okay?"

Reyna felt her heart tightened. She didn't reply.

Jason looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both of them looking over their own paperwork. Absent-mindedly, Reyna signed her name on another piece of paper.

Jason looked over at her. Reyna's normally ramrod-straight posture was relaxed, her hair gently falling over her face. She tapped her pen against the table as she skimmed through the paper in her hand. Even with all the worry lines on her face, she still looked beautiful. Jason shook the thoughts out of his head.

"Reyna, I need to ask you something. What really happened with your father?" Jason's bright blue eyes, now devoid of laughter, probed her onyx black ones. Reyna avoided his eyes. There was no way she was going to get out of this one. Quickly, she ran through a list of all plausible lies in her head, each more impossible than the next. Sighing, Reyna ran a hand through her hair. How had they come to this? A year ago, she would not have hesitated to tell him anything, should he have asked.

Jason could sense her hesitation. "Hey," he said softly, reaching for her arm. "You can tell me anything."

Reyna steeled herself. "My father died from an old sickness. He used to be a soldier, and when he came back...he never really recovered. And it didn't help that he'd taken shrapnel in his chest from a shell."

Jason's eyes lingered for a moment longer on hers, and Reyna had a feeling that he hadn't believed her lie. _Pluto._ She had forgotten. Jason could read her like a book. But he didn't press further, and for that, she was thankful.

Honestly, Reyna didn't know how Jason would react if she told him the truth. The guy was incredibly loyal to his friends, but also a strict officer of Rome. Or at least he used to be. Now, she wasn't sure what to think of him. He had changed so much, she wasn't even sure he was the same person she had known and served beside for four years.

Jason's hand brushed against hers, and Reyna felt a jolt of electricity through her whole body. She nearly knocked over another stack of papers. _Stupid,_ she cursed herself.

For a while, Jason alternated from signing documents to sneaking looks at Reyna. She had changed a lot over the eight months he had been gone, and up until now, he had never gotten a good chance to observe her. She had gotten almost an inch taller, he now realized, and her hair was longer. But that wasn't the only thing about her that had changed.

Jason noticed all the shadows under her eyes, and the worry lines that marred her face, lines he knew all too well, from wartime stress and staying up nights in a row to work in the Principia. The memory brought back a rush of old emotions. Mostly pain, guilt, and regret. But something else too, something he couldn't name.

For a second, her narrow shoulders seemed to sag under the weight of her armor, and in that moment, Jason could see just how tired she was. In spite of the fact that he and the other Senators had done all they could to lessen her burden, Reyna was still weighed down by something, something that Jason knew in his heart was because of him. Reyna had changed during the Giant War too. She was more mistrusting now, more closed off. She laughed less, talked less, smiled less, and spent her time buried in work.

Jason knew it was because of him. Reyna never said anything, but she would show it in little gestures and signs that only he could read. She didn't smile around him anymore, and her eyes seemed to darken whenever he came. More than once, Jason had caught smiling, almost laughing, with another legionnaire, but the laugh would die in her throat when she saw him. When she spoke to him now, it was no longer with the unchecked, free speech between close friends, but the reserved, distanced tone she used around nearly everyone else. He had once prided himself on being the only one she spoke freely to.

Jason felt the guilt inside him build until he couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry."

Reyna looked up, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Jason regretted speaking. Reyna now fixed her cold, calculating stare on him, the same one she used when delivering a speech in the Senate. Well, he couldn't really take it back now.

"I'm sorry for everything. For disappearing for eight months, for going off on another quest and leaving you to stop a war by yourself. For picking a camp I'd only known for a few months over the place I grew up in."

Sighing, Reyna put her pen down. "Being kidnapped by Juno wasn't your fault," she said quietly. "I know you didn't have a say in it. Listen to me, Jason, you don't owe me an apology. You don't owe me anything."

"Yes, I do." Jason wished Reyna would blame him for once. Everyone else was angry with him. Dakota, Bobby, and even Gwen. But Reyna never blamed him for anything. Not when he had left her alone with Octavian for eight months, returning only to hop on a Greek ship and fly away after firing on New Rome. Not even when he'd abandoned her to rule Rome by herself. _Romans don't complain._ That was what she'd always said.

"You, more than anyone, should blame me. Out of everyone here, I hurt you the most." Jason felt his heart twist, because it was the first time he had voiced those feelings.

"But I don't," Reyna said, her voice changing. "I don't."

Jason could see she didn't mean it. Deep down, under all the nobility and selflessness, Reyna still felt betrayed by him. He could see the hurt in her eyes whenever she looked at him. Jason wished they could clear the air once and for all.

"I know you're angry at me. I know you blame me, so why don't you talk to me?" The last few words had come out louder than he meant, and he softened his tone. "Just say something."

"Fine." Reyna turned around, facing him. "Why did you leave?" she demanded. "Tell me. Why did you choose to stay at Camp Half-Blood with Leo and Piper even after you regained all your memories?"

Jason sighed. "Things are…I don't know, simpler, at Camp Half-Blood. There's no politics, no Octavian, no infighting. There's none of that backstabbing that we see here every day. It just seems more like a family."

"Family," Reyna repeated. "And what about your old family? What about Gwen, Bobby, and Dakota, the people you grew up with? The people who nearly worried themselves sick when you went missing? Gwen was ready to hike across the country to look for you."

"They're still my friends," Jason defended. "I care about them too. Nothing's changed, Reyna. I'm still the same person." There was a pleading note in his voice, as if he were trying to convince himself.

 _Everything's changed,_ Reyna wanted to say. When she had first seen Jason on that flying ship after eight months, her relief had pushed all her other feelings out of the way. Afterwards, though, when she had approached him after the celebration, she had noticed his change. He no longer stood in the defensive posture of a Roman, and he looked at Camp Jupiter as if seeing a past life. One that he had left behind.

Reyna shook the thoughts out of her head. _Get yourself together,_ she told herself. Romans didn't wallow in self-pity.

Jason leaned closer. He was so close now that Reyna could see the light reflecting off his bright blue eyes, which had suddenly glazed over. "I still care about all of you."

 _I still care about you._ Jason hadn't realized how true those words were until he said them. He still felt something for her. Even after he had left her, abandoned Rome, forsaken his friends, he still felt every bit as strongly about her as he had back during the old days, when they had sparred in the arena until dusk, and debated war tactics until morning. He still felt his heart jump whenever she gave him one of her rare smiles. He still felt a rush of pride whenever he looked at New Rome, at the legionnaires sparring in the arena, and the army he had built, the army _they_ had built, together.

* * *

In the Field of Mars, Bobby and Dakota were sparring in the darkness, and Bobby was winning. It was long after curfew already, but since Dakota was a centurion, they didn't really have anything to worry about.

Dakota staggered under another blow. "Dude, go easy on me. I just had a bottle of Kool-Aid and a candy bar for dinner."

"It's your own fault for skipping dinner," Bobby said, taking another swing. "You're just lucky I remembered to bring you a piece of toast."

"Yeah, thank you so much for bringing me a cold piece of toast you had already eaten most of," Dakota said sarcastically.

Bobby ignored Dakota, jabbing under his guard. "Reyna didn't come to dinner either."

Dakota shrugged. "So? She and Jason skip dinner all the time. Probably praetor duties."

Still, Bobby looked worried. "You don't suppose something's wrong?"

"Well, maybe—hey!" Dakota's sword clanged out of his hand. Bobby, grinning victoriously, tossed his own sword down.

"I win. But seriously, we haven't seen Reyna all day. This Octavian thing must be more serious than we think."

Just then, they heard footsteps from a distance and turned to see Gwen running across the Field of Mars, her hair flying behind her. She hadn't even bothered to put on a jacket. As she neared them, they could tell that something was wrong. Gwen stopped beside them, panting.

"Gwen?" Bobby, looking concerned, laid a hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off.

"Guy's, we have a problem," Gwen looked scared.

Dakota and Bobby looked at each other. The only time they had seen Gwen look this afraid was when Jason had taken a sword wound during the march on Mount Tam.

"What's wrong?" Dakota asked, his apprehension mounting, but Gwen shook her head.

"You have to see this."

Five minutes later, Bobby, Gwen, and Dakota arrived in front of the Senate House. Gwen, who was at the front, skidded to a halt when she saw the crowd of people. Twenty or so people, all legionnaires, had gathered around the entrance of the Senate House. The darkness was lit by a few torches, and they could vaguely make out someone speaking in the center of the crowd.

"What…" Bobby began, but Gwen silenced him. Grabbing both of them by the arm, she dragged them to the group of people and began elbowing her way through the thick crowd. When they reached the front, the torchlight illuminated a figure standing on the steps of the Senate House. Dakota caught his breath. It was Octavian. Bobby cursed under his breath, turning questioningly to Gwen. Gwen jerked her head toward Octavian, who seemed to be delivering a speech of sorts.

"…our praetors have betrayed us! They made an alliance with our oldest enemy. They broke the ancient code of Rome. And now we find out that one of them is guilty of patricide!"

There was a roar of assent, and the soldiers around them all started yelling, drowning out Octavian's next words.

Wordless, Bobby turned to Dakota, who was glaring at Octavian as if he wanted to drill a hole through him. Bobby was pleased to see that several other centurions wore the same expression on their faces.

Gwen shoved a legionnaire aside and stepped out into the torchlight. "Back off, Octavian. Nobody's going to believe you over Reyna."

Octavian looked surprised to see her, but quickly regained his composure. "Centurion Gwendolyn. I wondered if you'd rushed off to warn Reyna earlier. I must say, I didn't expect you to return to the Legion after that little…ah… _incident_ during war games." Octavian's smile widened.

Dakota gritted his teeth. Octavian would have been kicked out of the legion if Reyna had been able to prove that he was the one who had stabbed Gwen in the back during the war games.

"And as for believing me over Reyna…well, let's just say, soon people won't have to believe me. They'll be able to see for themselves. Praetor Grace has already passed the approval for the case. At the next _Senatus Populusque_ meeting, the ten senators will vote on the verdict. Reyna has less than a month to prepare her defense. The entire public of Rome will see the truth about their praetor."

Gwen looked ready to explode from rage. "The truth? You're delusion, Octavian. Reyna told me her father died before she could remember."

Octavian let out a harsh laugh. "Then she lied to you too. I'm not surprised. Do you think she really trusts you? If she did, why hasn't she asked you for help?"

Dakota had cold feeling in his heart. _Do you think she really trusts you?_ Why had Reyna pushed them away? Why hadn't she defended herself when Octavian accused her? Suddenly, Dakota remembered the look on her face when they had offered to help. He was convinced that she had desperately wanted help then, but there was something that stopped her. It was almost as if she were afraid. Afraid of what they might find out.

He pushed the feeling aside, turning his attention back to Octavian and Gwen, who were now face to face. Gwen's whole body was tensed, her hand on the hilt of her sword, and Dakota knew she was seconds from snapping. Bobby seemed to realize it too, and he stepped forward quickly, pulling Gwen back a few inches.

"What's going on here?" came a familiar voice at the back of the crowd. A hush fell over the crowd, and Gwen breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized Jason's blond hair as the legionnaires parted for him. Beside her, Bobby and Dakota both relaxed.

"Praetor Grace. I'm glad you weren't too busy with your new Greek friends to join us."

There was a round of laughter, as some the soldiers around them jeered.

Jason fought to keep his face neutral. He recognized some of the faces in the crowd. He felt a stab of pain in his chest when he realized that a few of the jeering soldiers had once been his friends.

"Octavian, that's enough. I gave you your trial, now stop stirring up even more trouble unless you want to be dismissed from the Legion."

"Dismissed?" Octavian sneered. "You don't have the power to dismiss me. You are not a praetor anymore. You're not even a Roman anymore."

The crowd began muttering, some of them casting dark looks at Jason.

Dakota raised his voice. "You may have gathered a group of lackeys, Octavian, but the rest of Rome is loyal to Jason and Reyna."

"Loyal to Reyna? She put her trust in the hands of our enemy. She broke the law by traveling to the ancient lands. She is a traitor to Rome, and we all know what we do to traitors," Octavian said, lips curling up in a sadistic smile.

The crowd's eyes bounced between them as if witnessing a particularly interesting swordfight.

"Back off, Octavian," Bobby snarled, his hand reaching for his sword. Jason put a hand on his arm.

"Don't."

Jason spoke in the loud, clear, praetor voice he used to deliver speeches. "Curfew has already passed. All of you, return to the barracks, or you'll have stable-cleaning duty tomorrow. That goes for you too, Octavian."

Grumbling, the crowd dispersed slowly, taking the torches with them. Once they were all gone, Bobby relaxed the hand on his sword. Sighing, Jason ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe this is happening again. I thought we'd seen the last of the protestors after the war."

"You don't suppose he could be right?" Bobby asked in a low voice, and Dakota knew he was talking about Reyna. "About the trial? I mean, Reyna won't say anything, not even to us. What could she be so afraid of telling us?"

Gwen shook her head. "Don't listen to him. Octavian's just trying to get in your head."

* * *

Annabeth dumped a pile of books on the table. "I did some digging into Roman law," she explained. "Now, needless to say, today's criminals laws in the Legion are different from those in ancient Rome, but they still share most of the same characteristics."

"Ugh, did you have to bring so many books? We're supposed to be having a party." Percy flipped open a cover and read, "The Roman Forum: Criminal Law in Ancient Rome." He snapped the book shut. "Why do we care about ancient Rome? There's no way that Octavian could have Reyna convicted. I just came along because I heard we were gonna crush that little…" Percy finished with a very unflattering name.

"Percy," Annabeth scolded, but she felt the corners of her mouth turn up. "You don't want to go around calling Octavian that. He's been gathering even more anti-Greek supporters since the war ended. By now, he probably has half the first cohort under his thumb."

Percy gave a snort. "I'm just trying to imagine Octavian standing in front of the Principia in an oversized bed sheet, ripping open stuffed animals and delivering rousing speeches to the people of Rome."

They laughed in unison and continued exchanging jokes, unaware that someone was watching them from the shadows of the trees. Outside, Reyna leaned against the wall of Jason's villa. The warm light from inside the house cast shadows across her face, making her seem half solid, half darkness. Laughter rang out from the open window. Watching them, she almost felt as if she were inside too. A cold wind shook the leaves of the tree next to her, and Reyna pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

For a moment, Reyna felt something akin to loneliness.

 **Author's Note:**

 **So, I spent a pretty long time editing and re-editing this, and I haven't found out how to make it less...bad? Just kidding. Anyway, please leave a review. I'm already working on the next chapter.**


	4. Home Is Here

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.**

Reyna felt her dreams swirl around her, images shifting and interchanging with visions of war and carnage. Great. She'd thought those dreams were over when the war had ended. She caught scraps of memories: Hylla dueling with a pirate…Lupa receiving her at the Wolf House…Ethan, the old praetor, congratulating her as she was raised on the praetor's shield…Jason and her leading the Legion on the march on Mount Tam. One vision solidified, and a shadow took shape before her. Before she knew it, Lupa, her old trainer, was sitting in front of her, looking the same as ever. Reyna was taken aback. It had been months since she had last seen Lupa. Mist swirled around them, and Lupa spoke in a deep, echoing voice.

"Reyna. My young pup. You've grown."

For a moment, Reyna's dream-mind didn't react. If wolves could look impatient, then Reyna was pretty sure that was the expression on Lupa's face. "Listen carefully, child. I came here to speak to you tonight, but we don't have much time."

Reyna finally found her voice. "What is it?" The last time Lupa had come to her in a vision, it had been to warn her about an impending invasion on Camp Jupiter. She felt her heartbeat quicken. "Is something wrong?"

"No, child, but we must be quick. I came to you because I have heard word of your trial."

Reyna felt her heart sink. So that was the reason for Lupa's visit. "Well?" she asked, bracing herself for a barrage of questions and criticism.

"You are in a dangerous situation, Reyna," Lupa said quietly. "You must tread carefully."

 _Thanks a lot for the helpful advice,_ Reyna wanted to say, but she kept her mouth shut. As if reading her mind, Lupa frowned. "Do not discard my advice so easily, Reyna. The new alliance with the Greeks is also putting you at risk. Perhaps you do not know, but your augur has been stirring up those who still mistrust the Greeks."

Reyna wasn't surprised. "Well, there's nothing I can do about that."

"Octavian has gathered many supporters," Lupa said quietly. "He is digging his way into your past. And his accusation…will soon find enough evidence."

Reyna felt a cold hand close over her heart. Did Lupa know? When Reyna had first arrived in the Wolf House, Lupa had asked nothing about her past. Now, the word rang in her ears again. _Patricide._ She looked at Lupa, her heart tightening. Lupa had a way of seeing through lies, and she was known for harsh punishments. But this time, her mentor did not speak. Suddenly, Reyna wondered if she had always known, since she day she had found Reyna.

When Lupa spoke, her voice was less harsh. "Almost every one of my pupils have a dark past. I do not ask questions. What matters is what they choose to do with their future. And Reyna, whatever you may have done in the past, your years of service to Rome have more than made up for it."

Reyna didn't know what to say. Lupa rarely offered words of comfort or encouragement.

"However, I have one more piece of advice. Octavian is more dangerous than you think, Reyna. This goes beyond you and him now. Rome itself is in peril." Lupa held up a hand to stop her as Reyna opened her mouth to ask a question. "Do not ask me how. I cannot say beyond this. Be on your guard."

"How?" Reyna asked desperately. "If that's all you can tell me, how am I supposed to be prepared?"

"Trust no one. And above all, you must cut off the one thing keeping you from your duty."

"What?" Reyna was confused.

Lupa snarled. "Have I taught you nothing? You pledged your life to Rome. Do you remember what you said the day you became praetor? _Mea vita et cor meum, ego promitto Romam_ _._ 'I pledge my life and my heart to Rome.' Rome has your heart, Reyna, but not all of it."

Reyna had a sinking feeling in her heart. "I don't know what you're—"

"Enough!" Lupa cut her off. "Do not pretend to be ignorant. You know exactly what I am talking about, and more importantly, _who_ I am talking about. It is dangerous, Reyna, far too dangerous, to have personal attachments at a time like this. Not only for yourself, but for all of Rome."

"An _attachment?_ " Reyna repeated.

"Yes," Lupa growled. "Because that is all he is. You are strong, Reyna, stronger than the praetors before you. Whatever you may feel now, it will only get in the way of your leadership."

"My leadership?" Reyna felt a surge of anger. "I've never let my personal needs interfere with my leadership. I've always put Rome before everything."

"No one denies what you have done for Rome," said Lupa. "I know what you have given. Despite what you think, Reyna, what you do is recognized. Your sacrifices as praetor are not forgotten. And it is because of this that I ask to make one last sacrifice. Forget him. Do whatever it takes to get him out of your head. Give all of your heart to Rome."

"I've tried." It was the truth. Because Lupa was right. Jason Grace messed with her head. Years ago, she had realized that he meant too much to her. He could only hurt her. But as much as she tried to push him away, she would always end up turning back to him.

"I do not blame you for what you feel, child," Lupa said. "Be prepared. Danger is on every side. You will soon find out who your real friends are. Be brave, my young pup. Be brave." Lupa's image dissolved.

Reyna woke with a start. For a moment, she didn't register where she was. Her eyes searched for the familiar chairs and long tables of the Principia. Then, she realized, she had fallen asleep in her villa. Lupa's words still rang in her ears. _Be brave._ Shaking her head to clear it, Reyna's eyes wandered to the clock hanging over her couch. Eight-thirty. Reyna leapt to her feet. How could she have woken up this late? Most days, she didn't even bother to set an alarm clock, because the years of cohort drills had trained her to wake up every morning before six. Pushing all the thoughts of her conversation with Lupa out of her head, she grabbed her cloak and practically sprinted out the door.

Outside, she brushed past the soldiers on the streets and nodded at Terminus when she passed through the gates.

Reyna pulled her cloak around her as she walked at a fast but dignified pace to the barracks for a checkup with the centurion in charge. The centurion graciously did not mention the fact that she was thirty minutes late when she finally arrived. Ten minutes later, Reyna passed the Field of Mars, watching the soldiers training. By the time she finished her rounds, it was almost noon, and she found herself back at the barracks. Checking the sun, Reyna decided to head back to the Forum. Yesterday, a centurion had informed her that she was needed at the Forum for a post-war rebuilding gathering, and she hadn't had time to go sooner.

Legionnaires straightened respectfully as she passed, and Terminus greeted her at the gate.

"Reyna! I've been meaning to talk to you. You were a little busy earlier this morning, as I recall." Termius grumbled. "Is what I've heard true? Word is, Octavian's been stirring up more trouble." Terminus snorted. "I can't believe that little augur's still here. I would've thought you'd kicked him out ages ago."

Reyna summoned a sardonic laugh. "Believe me, I've tried." She felt a little comfort in knowing that Terminus, at least, was on her side.

She handed Julia her sword and the little girl gave her a bright smile and quickly scuttled off. Reyna nodded to Terminus and made her way through the gate. Once the gates had closed behind her, Reyna sped up her pace.

Retired officers nodded at her as she passed. Many of them had served in the Legion during the Titan War. At least Octavian's news hadn't traveled to them yet.

Centurion Nathan greeted her at the Forum. "Reyna. You're a little late," he teased. A half-smile flickered on Reyna's face before disappearing. There had never been any need for formalities between them.

Another friend, Centurion Marcus, approached her with a pile of paperwork and questions. Camp Half-Blood had offered to help rebuild New Rome. Should they accept? Camp Half-Blood had agreed to exchange programs. When should they start? How much money should be spent on rebuilding? How would transportation between the two camps work? Where would they house the people whose homes had been destroyed in the Argo II bombing?

For the rest of the afternoon, Reyna walked from station to station, organizing rebuilding plans and exchange programs. Some people were still averse to the idea of allying with Camp Half-Blood, and Reyna caught scraps of conversation concerning the Greeks, but they all quieted respectfully when she passed.

"Praetor?" Nathan appeared beside her, looking worried. "Protestors outside. They're getting angry. Some of them are demanding to see you."

Reyna raised her head to look in the direction Nathan was indicating. Sure enough, a group of angry protestors had gathered outside the Forum and were shouting.

"Death to the graecus!"

"There can be no alliance with the Greeks!"

"They fired on our home!"

Sighing, Reyna dropped her stack of papers and marched outside to the entrance of the Forum. "Enough!"

The crowd quieted. Reyna rarely raised her voice, and when she did, people listened. "People of New Rome, if you have a complaint, file it in the Principia."

"The Principia doesn't care about our problems," shouted a young woman who sold fruit in the market of New Rome.

"The Senators of Camp Jupiter won't answer our questions!" a senior soldier from the first cohort yelled. "They won't say anything about the new alliance. What about revenge on the Greeks for what they did to us?"

"Revenge? We marched on their camp. If we had laid waste to Camp Half-Blood, Mother Earth would have risen, and everyone in our camp would be dead. Have you not learned from our past?" Reyna demanded.

"We conquered the Greeks in the ancient times!" yelled a Lare. "And we'll do it again!"

"All that is in the past," Reyna said calmly to the agitated Lare. "And do you remember how many people died in the ancient times?" She turned to an older Lare. "Tell me, Aelius. You were there, weren't you? You saw your brothers and sisters lying dead on the battlefield after the war—and for what? What purpose did you find that could possibly justify what we did to each other in the ancient times?"

"Justify?" a voice came from the back of the crowd. "How about this: the Greeks fired on New Rome after coming to us for a _peace treaty_! No Roman would believe for even a second that it was just a misunderstanding!"

"Think!" Reyna shouted, finally losing her temper. "They could have attacked our camp a thousand times by now, if they wanted to. We almost started a war with them that we only just resolved! Do you think that peace was easy to build? It's taken a thousand years for us to finally gain peace with the Greeks. Are you going to throw that all away now?"

But the crowd didn't listen.

"How could our senators vote on peace? We should have burned their camp to the ground!"

"They're not fit to lead our camp anymore!" Shouts of agreement could be heard.

Beside her, Nathan inhaled sharply, turning sideways to face her. His look clearly said: _do something._ The crowd was getting dangerous. People around them were starting to gather, some of them nodding in agreement. She needed to dispel this crowd before it turned into a riot. Reyna had seen a riot before, when a traitor to Rome had been cleared during the Titan War. It had nearly torn the camp apart. Rome couldn't afford this now. Reyna forced herself not to show any emotion.

"Silence!"

Immediately, the talking ceased.

"The Senators of Rome want only what is the best for our camp." Right away, more murmuring broke out. Reyna raised her voice to talk over them. "If you disagree with them, then voice your opinions at the next Senate meeting."

There was a lull in the noise, as the Lares muttered amongst themselves. Just then, a loud, clear voice broke through the whispers. "How can our leaders be so quick to trust our oldest enemy?" It was a young girl, a new recruit from the second cohort who had risen quickly in the ranks. "Are we sure it isn't because they are biased?" Here, the girl looked straight at Reyna, a challenge in her eyes.

Reyna felt herself flush. She knew exactly what the girl was suggesting. "Praetor Grace has lived among the Greeks, and if he trusts them, so do I."

"Praetor Grace _is_ a graecus now," shouted a man at the back of the crowd. "How do we know he hasn't turned over to their side?"

Murmurs of agreement began to spread through the crowd.

Reyna felt the words like a punch to her stomach. Behind her, Nathan's eyes narrowed in anger, and he stepped forward as if to speak, but Reyna held out a hand to stop him. "Have you all forgotten what Jason Grace has done for Rome? For twelve years, he has served in the Legion, training the cohorts and building our camp up to what it is today. He led the first wave to storm Mount Othrys. He fought on the front lines with the rest of you, and he led our army to the top of the mountain after we broke through the Titan ranks. You elected him praetor, all of you—you raised him on a shield after the war ended—because you trusted him and believed in him. Have you forgotten that?" She demanded. There was a deafening silence after her speech. Most of the veterans of the Titan war were looking away, towards the direction of Mount Tam in the distance, and Reyna knew they were remembering that dark, stormy night, when they had marched through an endless sea of monsters and stepped over dead bodies, most of them their own.

"Praetor, is it true that charges for patricide are being filed against you?" a young man's voice broke out.

A hush fell over the crowd instantly.

Reyna steadied her voice, and her reply rang out clearly. "If any of you think me unfit to lead, then challenge me, and see who the people choose."

Nobody else spoke.

Nathan stepped forward. "No information can be disclosed right now. All of you are dismissed."

Mutters rippled through the crowd, but no one dared to disobey. Slowly, one by one, they trailed away, each going in a separate direction.

* * *

Piper was laughing as she pulled Jason down the streets of New Rome, and Jason was pointing things out to her.

"…and that's the best breakfast place you'll find here. Perfect place to grab a quick coffee before heading to the Senate House," Jason said, nodding towards a small café with a bright roof and glass doors.

They had just come from the crowded market of New Rome. "And that's the florist's." Fresh flowers were hanging out of the windows, and the son of Cere's who ran the shop waved at them as they passed. "This is the main street, but of course, there are a lot of alleys branching off that are just as cool."

Piper was looking a bit overwhelmed. "Wow. It's a lot to take in."

Jason felt a rush of pride at her words. He always loved showing a newcomer around New Rome.

"That's where the legionnaires usually grab lunch when they get a break," Jason continued, pointing at a small but tightly packed café across the street.

"What about dinner?" Piper asked, hooking her arm through his. "I thought we could have a night out together, you know, since we haven't seen each other for a while."

For a moment, Jason hesitated, remembering the piles of paperwork on his desk. But Piper was his girlfriend, and they hadn't seen each other for three weeks. "All right, I suppose," Jason said, pushing the guilt away. "How about _Vesta Mensa_? One of my favorites. The owner knows me. I used to go there all the time with—" Jason broke off, regretting his choice. He used to go there all the time with Reyna, when they took the night off, and sometimes when they just wanted something to eat while reading over war plans. But if Piper noticed anything strange, she didn't let on.

"All right. _Vesta Mensa_ then. Tonight?" Piper smiled cautiously.

"Sure." Jason nodded.

* * *

It was eight o'clock, and the sky was starting to darken. Streaks of orange ran across the sky and dyed the rooftops of New Rome a deep color. Jason and his girlfriend were sitting inside a dimly lit restaurant with small, dangling lights, with a saxophone playing softly in the background. Couples laughed and chattered quietly in the booths beside them. A small candle sat on their table. Jason's eyes wandered to the window as Piper ordered their food. It was a clear night. Already, the moon was rising over them, growing more solid than the waning sun.

"Jason?"

Jason started. Piper was looking at him expectantly. "Sorry, what?"

"What do you think of the view?" Piper repeated patiently.

"It's, uh, it's great," Jason mumbled, sipping his drink.

Piper laughed. "Of course, you've seen it hundreds of times."

He had. Hundreds of times. The memory of a dark-haired girl sitting across from him, leaning over war plans with a glass in her hand, came to him. He pushed the memory out of his head.

"So, this is where you come normally?" Piper asked, looking around.

"Yeah." Jason said quickly. "I mean, no. I don't come here normally, Usually I just go out and grab a bite in the café across the street or in the Forum, where we usually eat. But I come here too, occasionally. With friends." He added quickly

Piper raised an eyebrow. Jason winced. "I mean…yeah. That is, only for celebrations and stuff. This place is reserved for…special occasions?" He was rambling.

Piper laughed lightly. "I suppose this is a special occasion, then?"

"Huh?" Jason was confused.

"It's our anniversary," Piper reminded him gently.

Jason kicked himself mentally. "Of course." Their two-month anniversary, counting from the day they had officially started dating, which had been a few days after the war had ended. "Sorry. I've been a bit distracted lately."

"I know," Piper said. "Because of Reyna and Octavian?"

Jason looked at her hesitantly.

"It's perfectly normal to be worrying about your friends." Piper said, smiling. "But it's Reyna. She'll be fine. And besides, this night is supposed to be about us."

Jason felt himself relaxing at her words. Piper was right. Now was not the time to be worrying about Reyna and Octavian and whatnot. The food arrived, and Jason thanked the familiar waiter, who grinned and saluted him.

Jason was hungry, and he finished off half of his plate in under two minutes. For a while, the clink of glasses filled the silence between them.

Jason listened as Piper filled him in on what had been going on in Camp Half-Blood while he was gone. Apparently, the Hermes Cabin had thought it would be fun to rig a water-bucket in front of the Ares Cabin to douse whoever came out with ice-cold water. That person had happened to be Clarisse. Needless to say, Travis and Connor had paid for their little trick. Jason listened and laughed at the right times, but his mind was elsewhere. It was only when Piper mentioned a familiar name that Jason snapped to attention.

"…Leo says he's not going to stay at Camp Half-Blood much longer."

"Really?" Jason was surprised. "Where is he going?"

"I don't know," Piper said, shaking her head. "He says he needs to get away for a while."

Jason felt a twinge of sadness. Leo had only just gotten back. They had barely had time to catch up on the time they had missed with each other.

Piper noticed his expression and turned the topic to a lighter tone. "Chiron says Zeus is sending the old camp director back again."

Jason searched his head. Camp director? Percy had mentioned one once. "Dionysus?"

Piper nodded. "You should've seen the look on Percy's face when he found out. He looked like he was about to faint."

Jason gave a short laugh, and a silence came over them again.

Suddenly, Piper reached out take his hand. "Jason, I've been meaning to talk to you about something." Her eyes turned serious.

Jason tensed, his fork halfway to his mouth.

"We haven't seen a lot of each other lately, and I've been waiting for a chance to talk to you." Piper chose her words carefully. "Now that you're back as praetor, you're going to be spending most of your time at Camp Jupiter, right?"

Jason nodded, unsure where this was going.

"Well…I heard the other day that the Senate was looking for a representative from Camp Jupiter to help with negotiations at Camp Half-blood. They're looking for high-ranking senior officers, and the representative would get to spend a lot of time in both camps, so I was thinking…" Piper trailed off, looking at him.

Jason's heart sank. "Piper, I'm praetor."

"I know that," she said quickly. "And I know how important Camp Jupiter is to you. But you know we can't keep going on like this, right? Both of us living at separate camps, seeing each other once every few weeks."

"You could come live here," Jason suggested half-heartedly.

Piper smiled. "You know I wouldn't survive long here."

Piper was right. Jason knew his girlfriend was tough, but she wasn't soldier material. She wouldn't like it here, with the strict rules and rigid customs. On the other hand, he had lived in Camp Half-Blood before. Jason felt a pang of sadness as he thought of leaving this place. He looked out the window, at the night sky and the dark streets, lit by street lamps, his eyes wandering to the people still milling about outside. He thought of the barracks, of eating in the Forum, of sparring in the Field of Mars under the bright moon. A thousand different memories rushed at him, and once again, his mind wandered to a certain dark-haired girl.

"Jason, I know what I'm asking you to give up," Piper said, quietly. "Believe me, I do. But you have to choose between us and Camp Jupiter." She stood up, pulling on her jacket. "I'll be leaving in a week. Will you have an answer by then?"

She walked away, leaving Jason with a heavy feeling in his heart.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Okay, so this was more Jason-centric than the previous ones. I'll try to update quickly. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review.**


	5. Mutiny

Percy hooked an arm through Reyna's, pulling her along the roads of Camp Jupiter. It was early morning, and Percy had dragged Reyna from her villa and convinced her to take a walk with him outside. The air was still chilly, and slightly damp.

"Percy, I've told you a thousand times, the camps aren't ready for a post-war celebration yet." Reyna yanked her arm away from his.

"Come on, Reyna, it's been two months since the war ended," Percy said, unfazed. "Whatever problems people have, they'll have settled down by now."

"You don't know the type of people Octavian's been stirring up," Reyna said darkly.

Percy sighed. "Are we going through this again? I told you, Octavian just wants to scare you. Saying no to a celebration between the camps just proved that you're scared."

"I'm not!" Reyna bristled at the accusation. She lowered her voice. "I'm not. I just want to be sure…" Reyna trailed off as a faun passed by them. Once he was gone, Reyna continued. "I just want to be sure that we won't be provoking any more unrest."

"Unrest?" Percy stopped, looking impatient. "Look, the campers at Camp Half-Blood are practically dying to get a chance to see Camp Jupiter. Everybody's up for it. Some people are even talking about doing joint training programs together."

"Camp Jupiter is bigger than you think, Percy. Things might be settling down in your camp, but some of the old families here have had a history of hating Greeks, and they are not happy about how the war was resolved."

"Then holding a celebration right now would be the best way to convince them otherwise. They can get to know the Greeks, and maybe…" Percy trailed off at the expression on Reyna's face. "What?"

"Nothing," Reyna said, suppressing a smile.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just that you're so…" Reyna searched for a suitable word. "Idealistic."

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"You're the only guy who could believe that throwing a bunch of angry Romans together with some Greeks and making them get to know each other could possibly dissolve all the issues they have with each other," Reyna said, shaking her head.

"Why not?" Percy demanded. "I mean, isn't all bigotry based on ignorance? If we could make them see that the Greeks aren't so bad—"

Reyna's short laughter cut him off. "Make them see? Percy, its impossible to wash away generations of taught hatred—" Reyna continued as Percy opened his mouth to interrupt, "—just like it's impossible to wash away history."

"Well that's a positive way to look at it," Percy said sarcastically.

"I'm being realistic," Reyna said seriously. "The fact is, we might never be able to change the minds of some people, but we can wait until they settle down, and hope that time will help them realize that their protests are pointless." Reyna could see that Percy was disappointed. "We'll have that celebration, just not right away."

* * *

"…and that concludes my statement," Octavian finished. He had just finished delivering his official accusation against Reyna to the Senators in the bright, quiet Senate House. Sunlight and the smell of lavender drifted in through the open window.

Jason gritted his teeth. Given the evidence presented, he had no choice but to consent to a trial. And Octavian knew it. Jason signed his name on the paper and shoved it back at Octavian, trying not to look Reyna in the eye. The other Senators were shifting uncomfortably too, but none of them objected. His eyes focused on the small date at the bottom, neatly written. The day of the trial, about a month from now. Just in time for re-elections. Octavian had certainly planned it all out. Jason had tried to give Reyna as much time as possible.

Octavian gave a polite nod to the praetors, collected his papers, and stalked away. Reyna could almost feel the smugness radiating from him. The other Senators collected their things and trailed away after him, most of them not meeting her eyes. Nathan gave her a small smile, and Marcus an encouraging look. Finally, only she was left. Reyna took her time collecting her things, going over Octavian's statement in her mind. The trial would be held three weeks from now, giving her enough time to prepare a defense. Immediately afterwards would be the re-elections. Octavian had timed everything perfectly.

"Praetor?"

Reyna looked up. Nathan was standing at the doorway, looking visibly agitated. "Nathan. What is it?"

Nathan did not waste words. "Forgive me, praetor, but this is urgent."

Reyna raised her eyebrows. Why was Nathan being so formal now?

"Could you come outside with me?" Nathan's tone was warning. His eyes flickered around nervously. All of a sudden, Reyna understood. He was afraid of being overheard.

"Of course. Lead the way."

Together, they stepped out of the Principia and into the sunlight. Once they were far enough away from the Senate House, Reyna turned to him, her eyes questioning. "Well?"

"Praetor, you should understand that I have no evidence, but given the circumstances, I thought it best to come to you."

Reyna was becoming more and more concerned. "Speak freely."

"A few of the Senators are being aware of a growing…unrest, lately."

Nathan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. Reyna nodded. "Go on."

"I don't mean just the protests, which were easily quieted. I mean that lately, there have been rumors about people claiming your…incompetence." Nathan winced, hurrying forward quickly before she could interrupt. "That is to say, we believe that influential people are deliberately organizing protests to distract us from a far greater problem."

"Which is?"

"Opposers of the new Greek alliance and the recent decisions made by the senate are seeking to sabotage it."

"Sabotage?" Reyna asked carefully.

Nathan shifted uncomfortably. "We have no definite evidence, but we believe that some of the most influential families of New Rome are gathering to bring down the new Greek alliance, and to challenge the leaders of Camp Jupiter. Many of our Senators come from old families of Rome, and have heard whispers of this unrest. We think that they are stirring up these protests on purpose so that we don't notice what they're really planning."

"And what are they planning?" asked Reyna evenly.

"Like I said, Reyna, we don't know for sure. But we have identified one of the leaders of this group."

"Who?" Reyna asked, a feeling of dread growing in her chest.

"The person who set up the stage to bring down the leaders of Camp Jupiter by first undermining you."

Octavian.

* * *

Jason was pacing around the empty Senate House, trying to thinking about the speech he had been working on about unity between the Greeks and the Romans, but Reyna's trial and his conversation with Piper from last night kept drifting back to him.

 _You have to choose between us and Camp Jupiter._

He though about his friends Percy and Annabeth, and about their certainty. Neither of them would hesitate when it came to each other. Did he feel that way about Piper? If he did, it would have taken him about 0.2 seconds to make that decision. Could he really leave Camp Jupiter for her?

Sighing, Jason pushed all thoughts about Piper out of his head, and tried to focus on his speech. "People of Rome, it is in this time of peace that we turn to our allies of Camp Half-Blood for strength and newfound friendship."

"Practicing your speech?" Centurion Marcus from the fourth cohort had come up from behind him.

Marcus was very different from his co-centurion from the fourth, Nathan. For one thing, he was two years older, but the differences did not stop there. Nathan was an easy-going person, the kind of guy who could always be depended on for a laugh. Marcus was more serious, the kind of person you could go to for guidance or advice. It was no wonder he and Reyna got along so well. Both of them refrained from wasting words and were highly respected and somewhat feared among the Senators.

Marcus dropped the books he was holding onto the table with a loud thud. "Maybe I can help. Given the recent unrest, you'll have to make a really convincing speech, and right now—" Marcus lifted his rough draft from the table. "I'd say you're not off to a really powerful start. You sounded like you were reciting from words drilled into your head."

"I can't believe we survived a war with the titans just to almost start another war with other demigods," Jason muttered, shaking his head.

Marcus, who had been a centurion since the titan war, laughed. "I know. Look, a speech isn't going to fix this. What you need is to mingle some Greeks and Romans together."

"I've already ruled out the idea of a post-war celebration," Jason said. "We need to wait until people calm down a little more."

"Okay so maybe we're not ready for a big celebration between both camps yet, but if you want to enforce the feeling of unity quickly, why not have a dinner for the leaders of the Greek camp tonight at the Forum, since they're already here?" Marcus asked.

Jason thought it over. "That's actually not a bad idea. It wouldn't be like a real feast, but a small welcome would be appropriate, and the kitchens have plenty of time until dinner. Okay. I'll spread the news. Tell everyone to be at the Forum at eight o'clock tonight."

* * *

It was eight o'clock, and the Forum was gradually filling with people. There hadn't been much time to prepare, but everything still looked perfect. Two flags, Greek and Roman, hung above the elevated table for the Senators. It was dark outside, but the Forum was lit by dozens of hanging lights, flickering and casting shadows across the ground. Once the Forum was almost entirely full, Jason stood up to make the short welcome speech. Two hundred wineglasses raised with his, as he finished his toast. Jason made a face as he swallowed the bitter liquid. For a moment, he caught Reyna's eye, his eyes flashing with amusement, and she couldn't help smiling. She remembered the first time Jason had toasted with real wine, on the day he'd become praetor.

He had been so energetic that day that he had forgotten to slow down, and almost choked on his wine. She remembered her own unchecked laugh, making its way out of her throat, and the other Senators chuckling behind him.

Shaking her head, Reyna brought her mind back to the present. Percy was just wrapping up his speech about how nice it was to see Camp Jupiter again, now that they weren't trying to kill each other, and eliciting a few laughs from the legionnaires. When he finally sat down, and the meal began, Reyna could tell that he was nervous.

"I hate it," Percy muttered. "Why can't we eat at a normal table like everyone else? I can't eat while two hundred people are staring at me."

Reyna laughed. "Even if you were sitting at a normal table, people would still stare at you."

Percy gave a short laugh. Some small jokes were exchanged, but Reyna could tell that most of the Senators were not comfortable sitting with the Greeks. She could see the tension at the table, and she could tell that she was not alone in wanting this dinner to end as quickly as possible. Jason caught her eye in the seat across from her. She could see that he sensed the tension in the air too. Reyna had a bad feeling.

They were nearing the end of the meal when Jason asked Percy to stand up with him again.

"It's traditional for guests to make another speech at the end of the meal," Jason explained.

"You Romans sure have a lot of traditions," Percy muttered, getting to his feet. His breathing seemed a little shallow.

Amused, Reyna turned her back on him, sipping her drink, and exchanging a few words with Centurion Marcus. A noise behind her cut off their conversation, and Reyna turned to see Jason grab Percy before his legs gave away, his weight collapsing against Jason.

For a moment, Reyna didn't register what had happened. Then, she and Marcus both stood up quickly. Reyna made her way over to Percy, helping Jason ease him onto the ground. His face was pale, and his breathing shallow. Her fingers found his pulse, steadily beating. A hundred different possibilities ran through her mind.

Gasps and whispers began to spread throughout the Forum, people elbowing others nearby and pointing, until all the previous chatter had died out and been replaced by a fearful whispers. What had just happedn

Jason straightened and cleared his throat. "Take him to the infirmary, right away. The rest of you are dismissed. Head back to the barracks."

* * *

Reyna pulled out a chair.

"Sit down."

Nathan sat down, looking slightly nervous. Everything he had told her was now coming together. Ten minutes after Percy had collapsed and been delivered to the infirmary, the healers had determined that he had been given a small dose of an old Roman poison. Not enough to be lethal. The poison had been in his wine. He would recover in a matter of days.

Jason, Reyna, Marcus, and Nathan were sitting in the empty Senate House. Reyna had told Jason her suspicious after Percy was poisoned, and now Nathan was filling him in on what he had told Reyna. When he was finished, Jason seemed to have formed a conclusion.

"Okay, so this all ties together. Protestors want to get rid of the alliance, so they target Percy because of his status as a well-known Greek leader. I swear, when I catch those whoever pulled this…" Jason trailed off, shaking his head. Reyna remembered his initial panic when they had delivered Percy to the infirmary. To his credit, he hadn't shown it in front of the healers, calmly giving out orders like he had done for years. But Reyna remembered his pacing as they'd waited outside in the hallway for news, and how his eyes had constantly flickered to the door of Percy's room.

"Right," said Nathan, nodding. "Anyone could have done it."

Marcys frowned. "It just…it seems too dramatic. They only put in a small amount. Not nearly enough to do any serious damage. It was like they were putting on a show."

"Maybe they were," Nathan said quietly. "Maybe they just wanted to scare people."

"You could do that in ways that are a lot less risky," Marcus argued. "Why choose poison?"

"There's something else about this poison," Jason said, leaning forward. "It can be lethal in large amounts, so it's only accessible to someone high up in the ranks."

"Who would do this?" Nathan asked. "Who'd want to poison him?"

"I can think of a lot of people," Jason muttered. "But you're missing the point. Why would they use such an obvious poison that we could easily trace back to them?"

"They wanted us to figure out a high-placed Roman did it." Reyna spoke. "And more importantly, they wanted the public to know."

"Why?" Nathan asked impatiently.

"To put pressure on the alliance," Marcus said immediately. "To make the Greeks think a Roman official attempted to poison their leader."

Reyna looked at Jason, and she could tell that he believed the theory. "Great. So they chose someplace public, where everyone would see. But there's another problem. How did they know Percy was going to be at the dinner tonight? It was only decided today."

"So maybe they didn't plan it," Nathan suggested. "Maybe they saw an opportunity and jumped on it. The poison would be easy to deliver. It's not wartime anymore. We're no longer careful about things like these. Nobody could have suspected what they were going to do."

"I've already told the camp apothecary to check their records and see if they know who took the poison, but I don't think they'll come up with anything," said Marcus. "These guys are careful. But not careful enough." He exchanged a glance with Nathan. "We've been able to identify some people who we believe to be leading this…ah, unrest."

Surprised, Jason leaned forward. "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"Well, we didn't have any evidence to present to you," Nathan said hesitantly. "And besides, you two already had a lot on your plates. We thought we'd wait until we had something definite, or try to calm this thing down on our own. We didn't think they'd try something like this."

Marcus nodded in agreement. "But we did come up with one piece of information. We know that there's a meeting between them tonight."

Reyna sat up straight, her eyes immediately sharpening. "Why was this not brought up earlier?"

Nathan exchanged a glance with Marcus. "Well…because we were planning to go and check it out ourselves. But given the recent developments, I thought it would be better to let you two make the decision."

Jason leaned forward. "How do you know this, Marcus?"

Marcus looked uncomfortable. "As you know, Praetor, my family was one of the founding families of Camp Jupiter. We know a lot of influential people around New Rome, and some of them attempted to…ah, recruit us for their cause." Marcus hurried forward. "Needless to say, my family turned them down, but being one of the oldest families of Camp Jupiter, it was easy to hear things. A reliable source recently informed us of a meeting tonight, near midnight, at one of the old villas in New Rome.

Jason looked concerned. "How could this not have been brought to us before?"

Marcus hurried to explain. "We only confirmed the meeting place a few hours ago. The Atrius family's villa."

Reyna recognized the familiar name. "Atrius?" They were one of the most important families of Camp Jupiter.

Jason turned to her, and Reyna knew what he was thinking. "What do you say? Should we go and check it out tonight? Just the two of us?"

Reyna was unsure. She still had a lot of paperwork to finish by tomorrow. She considered assigning someone else to go to the Atrius villa tonight, but right now, she wasn't sure who to trust. Marcus and Nathan both already had enough duties tonight. Besides, Reyna realized that she needed something like this. She had spent all her nights either in the Principia or her villa, signing documents and writing plans, ever since the war had ended. The idea of a breaking into secret meeting between the people who had tried to poison Percy made her blood quicken.

Reyna looked at the clock. Ten-thirty. There was enough time to get ready. "All right. Tonight."

 **Author's Note:**

 **Okay, this was kind of a filler chapter. I wanted to make this story more complex, so I'm adding some other plot lines on the side. I'm already working on the next one, and I promise, it's going to be more exciting. Leave a review!**


	6. Memories

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson.**

At almost eleven-thirty, Reyna lay on her stomach behind the row of bushes surrounding the Atrius villa, Jason next to her. She could feel twigs and leave underneath her. The lights of the villa cast a shadow right over their hiding place. They were a few feet away from the porch, far enough away not to be noticed, but close enough to see and hear what was going on.

"Not too bad a place to spend the night, huh?" Jason whispered. He had been the one to suggest this hiding place.

The moon hung high over them, dyeing the clouds surrounding it a silvery blue against the dark sky. A chilly breeze hung in the night air. Reyna had her eyes fixed on the entrance of the house, waiting for someone to enter or exit. Marcus had explained to her that they were using the cover of a small celebration between families for their meeting. People would be arriving any minute now.

Somewhere above them, the trees rustled in the wind, and a bird chirped. Beside her, Jason shifted to a more comfortable position. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, and a dark blue T-shirt, with a hooded jacket over it. Reyna smirked when she saw how he had tried to cover his bright blonde hair with his hood. Between them was a backpack, with a notepad, a pair of binoculars, an extra jacket, and a video camera inside it.

They must have been waiting for almost twenty minutes already.

"So…" Jason muttered. "While we're passing the time, who did you get to clean out the basilisk nests under the temples this month?"

"The Fifth."

"Like always, huh?"

A beat passed. "Dakota's thinking about learning how to drive," Reyna said. "Ethan might teach him, if he's got time."

"Dakota?" Jason snorted. "He can ride pegasi and steer Roman eagles. What does he need a car for?"

"He says he wants to get around New Rome more easily."

Jason chuckled quietly. "Told you were should have reconsidered the layout when we did all that rebuilding after the Titan War."

"Not our fault the old praetors designed it like that," muttered Reyna.

"We could have redesigned some of it," Jason insisted, smiling. "Remember when you rejected all the designs for a new square for gatherings?"

"It took up too much space. And besides, most people just wanted everything back to normal. That's why we spent so much time rebuilding everything after the war."

"Ethan used to drive around New Rome after dark giving everyone rides home when we were done for the day, remember?"

Ethan was the praetor before Jason, who had retired after the war. Reyna remembered supervising the rebuilding alongside Jason, and working with the others to help build New Rome back into the great city it had been before the war. Jason's voice brought back the memories.

At first, it had been a long and hard process. There had been so much destruction, so much rubble to clear away and rebuild. Reyna and the others had often worked the entire day, moving away debris and fixing what could be fixed, occasionally taking breaks to meet with the other centurions supervising the rebuilding. At night, when everyone had gone home, she and Jason would take all the maps and rebuilding plans with them to look over in the Principia, with two cups of coffee and sometimes a quick meal. Sometimes they stayed the night at each other's villas, occasionally with Dakota, Gwen, and Bobby.

Everybody had pitched in. Retired officers, civilians, restaurant owners, and soldiers alike had worked to repair the city. Slowly, they had come up with a system. Some people were in charge of supply runs and snack breaks. People had shifts, organized by the centurions, but they could help out any time they wanted. They had found out that Jason was the best at supervising and organizing everything, because he could fly between posts faster than anyone. Everyone ate lunch in the Forum, and at nightfall, the retired officers would drive around picking people up. Sometimes the centurions ate dinner together, discussing plans, and other times they all wandered off on their own with friends.

It had taken them weeks, months, to finally build New Rome back to what it had been.

Reyna glance at her watch. Forty-five. Where were the people Nathan said would be coming? As if sensing her nervousness, Jason spoke. "Don't worry. They're probably on their way here."

"What if Marcus's information was incorrect?" Reyna said quietly. "Maybe they're not coming."

As if on cue, she heard footsteps approaching them from a distance. Both she and Jason tensed. Slowly, people began trailing up to the house, quickly ushered inside by a man Reyna recognized as Johann Atrius, a senior officer of Camp Jupiter. Reyna counted at least fifteen people. She tried to make out the faces in the moonlight, but she couldn't recognize any of them. It was past twelve when everyone seemed to have arrived. Through the window, Reyna could see all of them going through a door into another room. Murmurs could be heard coming from the other room. She let out a sigh of frustration.

Jason nudged her. "Here." He handed her the binoculars.

Reyna took them and began scanning the outside of the house, checking for any sentries — no, not sentries, Reyna reminded herself, they weren't at war anymore — anyone who might be standing guard outside. It was almost like raiding a titan camp back during the war days, except they didn't have any weapons. When she was finally certain that everyone was inside, she put down the binoculars.

"We need to get inside."

Jason nodded. "I know." His breath warmed her ear. "Follow me." He got up noiselessly and gestured for her to follow. Together, they crept around the bushes and approached the side of the house, taking care to remain in the shadows.

One of the windows was open a crack, and Jason eased it open as gently as possible, wincing as it made a sharp creak. Once it was wide enough, Jason quickly heaved himself onto the windowsill and swung his legs inside, landing on the wooden floor with a soft thud. Reyna followed him, quietly closing the window behind them. Immediately, they ducked behind a couch. Reyna took a moment to observe their surroundings. They were in the living room, a wide, square room lit by a dangling chandelier, furnished with plush couches and mahogany chairs, and a card table at the center. Underneath them was a large, ornate carpet that covered the entire room.

The Atrius villa was one of the oldest and largest family villas in New Rome. As she looked around, Reyna recognized the Roman influences on the architecture and furniture. The huge, ornate room was beautiful. Carpeted floors, heavy velvet curtains and paintings hanging on the walls.

She could hear muffled voices on the other side of the set of doors at the end of the room. She met Jason's eyes.

"Let's go."

Reyna stood up slowly from behind the couch, and made her way across the room, the soft carpet muffling her footsteps. When they reached the doors, Reyna looked through the crack between them. She could make out a dim hallway.

Reyna turned the silver handle of the mahogany door, opening it wide enough for the two of them to slip through. She saw a dark hallway, only lit by a few small lights on either side of the hallway. A row of vases lined the cabinets against the walls. As she and Jason neared the end of the hallway, the voices grew louder. She could distinctly hear a man's voice rising and falling.

She took quick steps toward the end of the hallway, aware that the voices were getting closer. When she turned the corner, Jason put a hand on her arm.

"Wait." He put a finger to his lips. "This house has the exact same floor plan as Aelia's house." Aelia was a centurion from the third, whom Jason had grown up with. "I used to play there when I was little. The room beyond that door should be the dining room. And if I remember correctly, one of these doors—" Jason pulled open a door on their left, "—should lead into it." Reyna, leaning her head inside the open door, realized that he was right. The door they had just opened was a closet.

Jason quickly ushered her inside, shutting the door behind. There was another door on the other side of the closet, with light streaming though the cracks. She could make out small movements through the cracks of the door, and the voices of perhaps and dozen people. This was it. The dining room.

"How did you know to go through this closet?" Reyna asked curiously.

"When we were little, Aelia and I used to sneak in here to listen to the parties her dad sometimes held at night," Jason whispered back.

Reyna shook her head, smiling. "Come on." Heavy coats hung in front of the, blocking their view of the door. Reyna pushed the row of jackets aside, and quickly made her way through the closet, until she was standing directly beside the door separating them from the dining room.

Jason eased himself down to the floor so that he was leaning against the door, and gestured for Reyna to join him. After a moment's hesitation, Reyna slid into a sitting position beside him. She could now hear exactly what was going on in the dining room.

"…Tonight's move was rash," said man's voice. "The boy is well-liked. The Greeks won't forget this."

"You worry too much, Augustus," came a second man's voice. "Didn't you hear the boy? Octavian has it all planned out." There was a tint of sarcasm in his voice. Augustus. Reyna felt her heart clench at the name. She knew Augustus.

"As difficult as it may be for you to understand, Claudius, it is a fairly straightforward plan," sneered Octavian.

Through the crack of the door, Reyna could see that he was standing up now.

"Once we have sown enough distrust of the Greeks among our fellow Romans, Praetor Reyna's conviction will turn more people over to our side. If she steps down from praetorship, then Praetor Grace will soon follow. And that leaves us with a power vacuum."

"And what are you going to?" asked a new voice sarcastically. "Become Praetor?"

"If elected, I will ensure that any supporters of mine are satisfied."

Beside her, Reyna felt Jason tense. Reyna felt a flare of anger inside her. Octavian become praetor? Over her dead body.

"And tell us, Octavian," said the man called Claudius, "how exactly are you going to convict Praetor Reyna? She's highly respected and well-liked by both the Senate and the people of Camp Jupiter."

Reyna felt a small prick of pride at his words.

"She's just a girl, Claudius," yawned a man. "A young _filia Romana._ How hard can it be to just get rid of her?"

"Harder than you think," grunted another man. "Don't you think all the monsters have tried?"

"We could arrange an accident—"

"No," said Octavian. "The Senators would suspect something. But when I am done, there won't be the same Senate governing Camp Jupiter anymore. I have a letter here, from Bryce Lawrence, detailing the confession he heard from Reyna before he died." Octavian unfolded a piece of paper.

"And what's a piece of paper gonna prove, huh?" sneered Claudius. "Bryce Lawrence is dead, so unless you can summon his ghost—"

"You do realize what will happen if she is proven innocent, don't you?" asked the man named Augustus.

"Of course," Octavian replied smoothly. "But I have something that will convince the Senate of her guilt, more than any piece of paper. I have a firsthand witness. Reyna's sister, Hylla, Queen of the Amazons."

Reyna felt her heart tighten.

"If this is true, Octavian, why would she help you?" Augustus argued. "Why would she help convict her own sister?"

"Because I have leverage over her."

"You mean you're blackmailing her?"

Reyna didn't hear the rest of his sentence. Her mind was spinning. Could Octavian be telling the truth? Hylla would never turn against her. She was sure of it. Unless…what kind of leverage could Octavian have over her?

"Reyna?" Jason was staring at her intently, his blue eyes questioning. "Are you all right?"

She shook her head, unable to look at him. Did he know? He had to. After everything they'd heard, Jason must have figured out the truth.

"Reyna, what is he talking about?" Jason's persistent eyes, _damn him_ , seemed to pierce right through her. "Answer me."

Reyna couldn't reply. She couldn't say anything. She was dimly aware of Claudius saying something else, but she didn't care. All she could hear was Octavian's voice, repeating itself in her head. Fear constricted her chest, all the fear she had been pushing down since Octavian's accusation. Jason was looking at her, his eyes silently asking her. The unspoken question was hanging between them. Reyna felt sick.

Finally, Jason said quietly, "Maybe we should leave."

Reyna nodded, relieved.

Back in her villa, Reyna buried her head in her arms. She was sitting in front of her desk, her dogs, Aurum and Argentum beside her. It was almost one in the morning, and Reyna knew she should get some sleep, but she couldn't.

Since Octavian had presented his case to the Senate, Reyna's nightmares had become more and more frequent. Many years ago, she had learned to control her nightmares. _Face your fear_ , Lupa had once said. _That is the only way you will be able to control it._ She had faced her fear, back in San Juan, when Nico di Angelo had shadow-traveled them back to her hometown. She had thought it was over. With Bryce Lawrence gone, she had thought she was safe. She'd been a fool to think that her father wouldn't come back to haunt her. _You are a Ramirez-Arellano. You will never escape your family._ Her father's words. Even in his paranoid, deranged state, he had managed to give her one lasting piece of wisdom.

Absently-mindedly, she stroked Argentum, who growled softly and nudged her leg, as if sensing her mood. Sighing, Reyna pushed away her empty cup of coffee. She was too tired to go and buy more, and she was pretty sure all the coffee shops were closed at this hour. Reyna was aware that her amount of caffeine intake had increased alarmingly within the past few weeks, but some people turned to drink when they were troubled. Reyna turned to coffee.

Octavian never bluffed to his own allies. If he really had some sort of leverage over Hylla, enough to make her betray her own sister, what was she going to do? Reyna considered the possibilities. The most obvious thing to do would be to find out what Octavian was blackmailing her with. Hylla was brave. She'd never take a threat lying down. But she was also deeply protective of her Amazons. Briefly, Reyna considered the possibility that Octavian had threatened the Amazons, but dismissed it almost immediately. Octavian had no power over them. That left Hylla's other weaknesses. She didn't have many.

Reyna wasn't going to figure it out tonight.

Whining, Aurum leapt onto her lap, his golden head resting gently on her legs. Jason had heard everything. Did he know? Had he figured it out? Jason trusted her. He would never question her word. What did he think of her now? Reyna tried to tell herself that it didn't matter. It didn't matter what he thought. She couldn't lie to herself though. The idea that he knew, or at least suspected the truth made her feel sick. She could have faced anyone who knew the truth, anyone but him. Venus' words from what seemed like a lifetime ago floated back to her. _It is those we love that have the capacity to hurt us the most._

Love. She didn't know anything about love. When she was young, she had seen what love did to people, and vowed never to be like them. Her father had loved Bellona, and a lot of good it had done him in the end. _Love is weakness_ , Circe had told her. _All men will betray you._ She'd realized that Circe had been completely crazy, but her sister still believed she was right. Even now, she still didn't know if what she felt was love. But she knew that she relied on Jason for support, for help, for partnership. He knew, he had to know, how much she depended on him. She had never said it before, but he had to have seen it over the years.

Reyna shook her. She was wasting time. She went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, clearing her head slightly. Reyna turned her mind back to the meeting.

They had said nothing incriminating. As far as she knew, gathering under the ruse of a social event to plot the downfall of Rome was not a crime. But attempting to poison a Greek leader was. Reyna gritted her teeth. They should have stayed longer and listened for something to tie them to Percy's poisoning. Octavian had basically acknowledged their involvement. Pluto's pauldrons, that was the reason they had brought a video camera. They should have stayed and recorded it the instant they heard something incriminating. Reyna pounded the table in frustration. Nothing had gone as planned.

"Something bothering you, Rey?"

Reyna whirled around, but she already knew who it was. Who else would turn up at her villa in the middle of the night?

"What are you doing here?"

Jason stepped through the doorway. "Checking on you." His blonde hair was wet, like he had just taken a hasty shower. "I should have come sooner."

"Go back to bed," Reyna murmured. "We've got a long day tomorrow."

"I can't." Jason closed the door behind him. "I can't sleep." He took a step forward.

Reyna didn't prompt him. She couldn't find the energy to make him leave. She realized all of a sudden that it would be better to have someone with her tonight. So she gestured to the chair beside her. Jason took a seat.

"Reyna, I'm going to ask you this one last time, and I swear, I'll believe whatever you say. What really happened with your father?"

Reyna felt her heart clench. All her defenses, every lie she had prepared, now fled her. So she said the only thing she could. "I can't tell you."

Jason sighed. "Why not? What could be so bad that you can't tell your best friend?" he demanded.

 _You don't know._ "You have no idea."

"I know you, Reyna, and I know you would never do what they said." Jason's voice lowered. "I trust you. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then tell me," Jason said, his eyes deadly serious. "Tell me, and I'll be able to help you. You trusted Nico di Angelo when you barely knew him. Why?"

To be honest, Reyna didn't have an answer to that. "I don't know. I guess…we both had secrets. We helped each other and watched each other's backs, and I came to trust him. We were under a lot of pressure, and we both needed someone to talk to."

"So why can't you talk to me? You used to be able to." Jason stopped. They never talked about this. About what it had been like, before Juno had swapped him and Percy. It was always dangling between them, like it was made of glass, something neither of them wanted to bring up.

"We used to tell each other everything. Don't you remember?"

"Don't," Reyna cut him off. "Don't. I'm not the one who forgot."

"I need to say this," he murmured. "We've been best friends from the beginning. Back during the Titan war, we always had each other's backs. And I know that you know I've always depended on you. Now let me help you."

"Stop asking me."

"Reyna, I know that you need time, but as your friend, I need to know the truth. If I'm going to have your back, I can't walk into this not knowing what's going on." Jason leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers intently. "Listen to me, I will always be on your side no matter what."

 _No matter what._ Reyna's heart clenched. He hadn't been on her side. When the Greeks had fired on New Rome, he had fled, instead of standing by her side and helping her sort it out, like she'd always expected him to. She had spent a long time being angry at him, and Percy too, for leaving, before realizing that they'd had no choice. It had taken her a while to realize that, but eventually, her anger had faded.

"I can't," she said firmly.

"Then what can I do?" Jason asked. "Just tell me what to do."

"Stay with me." The words slipped out before she had time to check them. "Help me with some of the work," she added hurriedly.

Jason sighed. "Sure. I have a report to write anyway." He pulled half of the paperwork toward himself, and for a moment, it was like the old days, when the paperwork had piled so high they would take from each other's piles when they thought the other wasn't looking.

"Do you remember that time we pranked Dakota?" Jason said, a smile tilting up the corners of his mouth.

Reyna smiled, her pen dangling over a document. "Yes. You and Bobby waited until he was in the shower and stole his clothes and towels. He was stuck in there for hours until you remembered him."

Jason shook his head, snickering. "I can't believe we forgot about him. I remember Gwen came up to us after that and told us about the new Imperial Gold weapons a couple of the legionnaires were bringing in, and we sort of dropped everything and ran. Dakota was so mad he missed it."

"And what about that time you waited until Bobby was asleep and —"

"—bundled him in his blankets and moved him on top of the roof of the barracks? Man, do you remember the look on his face when he woke up?"

"Well, I wouldn't know," Reyna said, smiling. "I wasn't there."

"Bobby was so confused," Jason said, snickering. "Jackie was centurion back then, remember? She was so mad, I thought she was going to explode. Eventually, Dakota and I had to tell her it was us, so Bobby wouldn't get into any trouble. We got a week of stable cleaning duty for that. But it was totally worth it."

They sat in silence for a little longer, Reyna carefully turning the pages and putting her signature at the bottom, Jason's neat penmanship filling the lines on his paper.

"What report are you writing?"

"Huh?" Jason raised his head. "Update on the Greek alliance. What's going well, what's difficult, and what we're planning to do in the future. Percy's delivering a similar one back at Camp Half-Blood, except he doesn't have to write it down."

Reyna felt her heart tighten at the words, _back at Camp Half-Blood_. She tried to shake it off. What Jason thought of Camp Half-Blood was none of her business.

"Do you remember," Jason said, smiling, "The first time Dakota convinced the two of us to break the rules?"

It had been several years ago, back before either of them had been made praetor.

Reyna nodded. "It was the night before war games, and our cohorts had been on a losing streak for the past few months. You came up with a strategy to turn it all around. Only we didn't have enough time to practice. So Dakota suggested taking the team to the Field of Mars after dusk and practicing for a few extra hours until we had the plan mastered. You were so nervous, remember?"

"I was not," Jason defended. "We were both centurions back then. I was concerned for our reputations if we got caught."

"If you really were, you wouldn't have gone. We could have gotten caught so many times."

"But it was worth it. We won the next day, so we kept doing it, whenever we had time."

They didn't mention the times they would sneak out alone, without Bobby, Dakota or Gwen, and spar until dawn, or just lie down in the Field of Mars and talk about their plans. They had both wanted only to become respected officers of Rome, and some nights, after they were done sparring, they would talk about their successes and their failures, and how news doors and opportunities had been opened for both of them.

"But we never did," Reyna said, smiling in spite of herself. "Dakota or Bobby were always on lookout. Somehow, we always managed to avoid getting caught." _Except that one time._

It seemed like a lifetime ago, when their nights weren't filled with endless paperwork, and they were young and inexperienced enough to disregard the rules. And then the war had happened. After the sudden death of their praetor, Reyna had been promoted to take his place at the height of the war. She had tried to do her best, taken by surprise and unprepared to handle power. Slowly, the war games had come to an end, and the days became filled with tense conversations in war rooms and rushed training, trying to prepare for the war to come. When the war was over, none of them could remember what it had been like before, when their nights had not been taken up by war councils and plotting invasions. Jason had become the stolid praetor, growing to fit the perfect example of a Roman leader: strong, commanding, and respected. At his side, Reyna had become everything he was and more. It was hard to remember that there was once a time when they would sneak out after dark to practice for war games, or when their only goal had been to rise up in the ranks.

Jason broke the silence. "Do you remember that one time we got caught?"

Reyna did remember. Camp Jupiter's guards had been patrolling the areas—ironically, the very patrols Reyna had assigned—and had nearly taken them by surprise. She remembered the cold wind, and how to moon had nearly given them away. Jason had been the first to notice the guards coming their way.

"You froze," Jason said, laughing.

Reyna shook her head. "I didn't freeze. I was just surprised." A total lie, and Jason knew it.

"You totally did, and I had to get us both out of there."

"Well you didn't, really."

Reyna had felt like a teenage lawbreaker that time, running from the footsteps behind her and laughing until her side hurt. She remembered how humiliated she had been when her own centurions had caught her. It had been the last time she had done something like that, because the next day, someone sent her a report that the titans had attacked the Wolf House.

"Do you remember how surprised Ethan and Aelia were when we turned up at the praetors' villas in the middle of the night?"

"We had the worst luck," Reyna said, shaking her head. "Getting caught the day before the Senators' banquet. We had to spend four hours the next day sitting at the high table, all the other centurions looking at us and laughing behind our backs. I know Leila and Marcus told everyone else."

"It wasn't that bad," Jason said, grinning.

"Yes it was. You were too busy playing a kicking game with Dakota under the table to notice anyone staring at you."

"But you were so nervous, because you were a new centurion back then, and wanted to make a good impression. I think that's what everyone was laughing at."

Reyna raised an eyebrow. "Really? It couldn't have been because you missed Dakota under the table and kicked Augustus instead?"

Jason groaned. "Let's not mention that."

Reyna was barely containing a smile. "Or maybe because _you_ were so nervous you almost spilled your cup of wine when you stood up?"

"All right, all right," Jason said, leaning back. "If you want to talk about dumb things we did that day because we were so nervous, how about how you sat like a plank of wood throughout that whole ceremony and couldn't look anyone in the eye?"

Reyna remembered trying to hide her nervousness and her embarrassment over what had happened the previous night that day, but of course Jason had seen right through it.

"I think even Ethan was laughing at you."

"Shut up. I wasn't that bad."

Jason snorted. " _Everyone_ noticed it. I think Ethan was trying to make you nervous on purpose. Remember how he kept making you the center of attention? I think it was a joke between the other Senators."

Reyna felt a laugh make its way out of her. She gave him a shove in retaliation, and Jason slung an arm around her, grinning at finally making her laugh.

And before they knew it, both of them were lying on their backs on her bed, like they used to, before war and Greeks had messed it all up, except this was one of the rare occasions when Bobby, Gwen, and Dakota weren't there.

Reyna found herself laughing, really laughing, like she hadn't done in months, not since the day Dakota had reported Jason Grace missing.

Jason turned his head to look at her, and something in his gaze made her stop laughing for a second. Reyna understood what it meant.

 **Author's Note:**

 **I know, the ending of this chapter was anti-climatic.**

 **Anyway, I just want to let you know that I changed one thing in the previous chapters. Remember Reyna's explanation of her father's death? I changed it so that Reyna told Jason he died from an illness. You can re-read chapter three if you want to see the whole explanation.**

 **Also, when I was writing this chapter, I had an idea for writing a story about the rebuilding of New Rome after the Titan War ended. I was thinking about writing some pre-Jeyna after Jason became praetor, and what happened those months before he was kidnapped. I wanted to write some light-hearted Jeyna bonding after this. What do you guys think? Don't forget to leave a review.**


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